{"id":358,"date":"2017-01-13T21:22:15","date_gmt":"2017-01-13T21:22:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/resources.crowdspring.com\/?p=358"},"modified":"2020-10-10T16:48:11","modified_gmt":"2020-10-10T22:48:11","slug":"five-branding-mistakes-will-cripple-small-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crowdspring.com\/resources\/branding\/five-branding-mistakes-will-cripple-small-business","title":{"rendered":"Five Branding Mistakes That Will Cripple Your Small Business"},"content":{"rendered":"

I am fortunate to meet thousands of entrepreneurs and small business owners every year. Many ask how they can improve their small business brand<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This is not surprising – successful businesses<\/a> avoid making branding mistakes that cripple other businesses.<\/p>\n

If your branding is confusing, inconsistent, generic, or otherwise sub-par, you can easily undermine your business’s credibility and ruin your chance for success.<\/p>\n

Let’s look at five branding<\/a> mistakes that will cripple your business (with tips on how to avoid them):<\/p>\n

Mistake 1: Bad Company Name<\/h2>\n

A strong brand is easily recognizable by your customers and potential customers.<\/p>\n

Recognition starts with the name of your business<\/a>. The name will appear on your business cards, letterhead, website, marketing materials, social networks, products, and everywhere else – in print and online – to identify your company and your company\u2019s products and services.<\/p>\n

Naming your company can be challenging and time-consuming. Getting an available URL for your company’s name can present an even greater challenge because even when you find a great name, the URL might not be available.<\/p>\n

Your company’s name should be simple, easy to pronounce, spell and write, and memorable. If you want useful tips on naming your business, there’s good insight in 10 tips for startups and small business on naming your company<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mistake 2: Poor Design<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s not enough to have a good, recognizable name.<\/p>\n

People also associate brands with the logo of the business<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As you think about your logos, keep your audience and products\/services in mind because you want your logo to reflect the products and services your company sells. A good logo builds trust and a strong logo will help to pull your brand together.<\/p>\n

Think about the logos of some of the world\u2019s most admired brands (Apple, Google, Amazon). How do you feel (emotionally) when you see their logos?<\/p>\n

Now look at your own company’s logo. Have you ever asked your customers how THEY feel when they see your company’s logo?<\/p>\n

If you want useful tips on getting a great logo, read\u00a010 logo design tips for buyers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Great design doesn’t stop with the logo.<\/p>\n

It should not surprise you to learn that consumers prefer better-looking websites<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Take a look at your company’s business website<\/a>. Does it look professional? Is it regularly updated? Does it have the relevant information your customers need? How do customers feel when they visit the site?<\/p>\n

If you want useful best practices and tips on successful small business web design, I recommend you read Small Business Marketing: Web Design Best Practices and Tips<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mistake 3: Inconsistent Voice<\/h2>\n

A brand is the sum total of the experiences your customers and potential customers have with your company.<\/p>\n

A strong brand communicates what your company does, how it does it, and also establishes trust and credibility.<\/p>\n

Your brand is your story.<\/p>\n

Your company’s brand lives in everyday interactions with your customers and potential customers, the images you share, the messages you post on your website, the videos you create, the content of your marketing materials, and in your posts on social networks.<\/p>\n

What you say is important, but don\u2019t overlook how you say it.<\/p>\n

Your company\u2019s \u201cvoice\u201d is the language and personality you and your employees will use to deliver your branding message and reach your customers. Successful brands speak with a unique voice.<\/p>\n

Think about the brands you admire \u2013 what makes them unique? How do they communicate with you and other customers? What do you like about their voice?<\/p>\n

Why should you care about brand consistency?<\/p>\n

You should care because brand consistency leads to familiarity, and familiarity leads to trust. Customers buy from brands they trust.<\/p>\n

Mistake 4: Not Keeping Your Promises<\/h2>\n

Businesses succeed or die by the promises they make. When you tell your customers you offer outstanding customer support – they will expect you to deliver on that promise.<\/p>\n

Every time.<\/p>\n

If you consistently deliver (and over-deliver) on your promises, you will create more loyal customers who will become zealous advocates for your business.<\/p>\n

Although this is common sense, you\u2019d be surprised how many small businesses tarnish relationships with their customers by failing to keep their promises.<\/p>\n

Happy customers who feel good about your business are your best source of referrals. For example,<\/p>\n

Mistake 5: No Vision<\/h2>\n

Think about the brands you love. Those brands commonly stand for something (or against something) and connect with their customers emotionally.<\/p>\n

After all, marketing is about values<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I am fortunate to meet thousands of entrepreneurs and small business owners every year. Many ask how they can improve their small business brand. This is not surprising – successful businesses avoid making branding mistakes that cripple other businesses. If your branding is confusing, inconsistent, generic, or otherwise sub-par, you can easily undermine your business’s credibility and ruin your chance for success. Let’s look at five branding mistakes that will cripple your business (with tips on how to avoid them): Mistake 1: Bad Company Name A strong brand is easily recognizable by your customers and potential customers. Recognition starts with the name of your business. The name will appear on your business cards, letterhead, website, marketing materials, social networks, products, and everywhere else – in print and online – to identify your company and your company\u2019s products and services. Naming..<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":388,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[47,54],"tags":[56],"class_list":["post-358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-branding","category-editors-picks","tag-guide"],"yoast_head":"\nFive Branding Mistakes That Will Cripple Your Small Business - crowdspring Small Business Resource Center<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.crowdspring.com\/resources\/branding\/five-branding-mistakes-will-cripple-small-business\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Five Branding Mistakes That Will Cripple Your Small Business - crowdspring Small Business Resource Center\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I am fortunate to meet thousands of entrepreneurs and small business owners every year. Many ask how they can improve their small business brand. This is not surprising – successful businesses avoid making branding mistakes that cripple other businesses. If your branding is confusing, inconsistent, generic, or otherwise sub-par, you can easily undermine your business’s credibility and ruin your chance for success. Let’s look at five branding mistakes that will cripple your business (with tips on how to avoid them): Mistake 1: Bad Company Name A strong brand is easily recognizable by your customers and potential customers. Recognition starts with the name of your business. The name will appear on your business cards, letterhead, website, marketing materials, social networks, products, and everywhere else – in print and online – to identify your company and your company\u2019s products and services. 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