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You’ve done your research, checked out the market and narrowed down your niche now it’s time to build a successful brand. But what exactly is a brand and what does a company brand entail? Let’s see exactly how to build a successful brand. Before we dive in, let’s first find out exactly what a brand is.

What is a brand

Your brand is the set of unique characteristics which define your company for both your internal and external audience. It is the essence of your business which clearly distinguishes it from others in the marketplace.  Your brand is so much more than just your company name but everything you and your company represents and stand for. In order to be successful in business it is imperative that you build a successful brand.

5 Components Needed to Build a Successful Brand

In order to build a successful brand that is memorable in the minds of your audience, there are 5 key components which must be clearly defined and fleshed out. Remember people don’t just buy a product, they buy an experience, your brand experience and how it solves a problem or fills a need for them. The components needed to build a successful brand are brand personality, Brand identity, brand image, brand culture and your personal brand.

1. Brand Personality

This is the set of human-like characteristics associated with your brand. This is key in creating your brand and aligns with how you perceive your ideal customer. There are several frameworks utilized to clearly identify their brand personality. One of the more popular ones is the The Aaker Model: Brand personality dimensions. This Framework was developed by Jennifer L. Aaker in an article published in the 1997 Journal of Marketing Research. She provided a structure for thinking conceptually about brand personality through a five-dimensional model. 

The model highlighted the following as brand personality dimensions:

• Sincerity – down to earth, honest, wholesome, cheerful
• Excitement – daring, spirited, imaginative, up-to-date
• Competence – reliable, intelligent, successful
• Sophistication – upper class, charming
• Ruggedness – Outdoorsy, tough

While this is a popular framework, subsequent studies have criticized this model for its broad definition of personality and including such things as up-to-date, successful and upper class within the personality dimensions. These are clearly not human personality traits and they confuse brand personality with user profiles. This of course is a different concept altogether. Our preference for identifying brand personality is the Geuens et al (2009) model. As seen below, this model highlights actual personality traits which brands can personify.

The Geuens et al (2009) model is a more relevant model which focuses only on actual personality traits, excluding status and wealth indicators. The model focuses on specific human personality traits which fall under the following areas:

• Responsibility – down to earth, stable, responsible
• Activity – active, dynamic, innovative
• Aggressiveness – aggressive, bold
• Simplicity – ordinary, simple
• Emotionality – romantic, sentimental

When building your brand be sure to identify with at least one of these traits to increase your appeal to your clients and make your brand more relatable. This is a more accurate measure for identifying your brand personality and is key if you want to build a successful brand.

2. Brand Identity

These are the set of physical characteristics created by a company which make a brand unique and memorable. This is what your audience sees and hears on a daily basis and some of the first things that come to mind when they think about your brand. Just as you are uniquely you, so is your business. You have to create your own style, that is, your brand identity for your business. Your brand identity include:

• Brand assets – these are a company’s visual identity and include Brand name, company logo, trademarks
• Brand color palette.
• Product packaging 
• Brand Mascots
• Slogans or taglines.
• Songs or sounds

Use can use an app such as Simplified to create all your brand assets such a your logo, graphic and brand color palette. The use of these items which make up your brand identity are usually detailed in a company’s brand guidelines and they govern exactly who and how brand assets are to be used. The key here to build a successful brand is to create consistency in how the brand is portrayed to the public thereby making it recognizable and more trusted. Remember people buy from brands they trust.

3. Brand Image

No matter how much effort a company puts into its brand personality and brand identity it is the brand image, that is, how the brand is perceived by others that is, that has the biggest impact and what really matters. Constantly providing value is the key towards having a positive brand image. The aim is is to influence brand image by providing value through quality content on multiple platforms such as your website, journals and social websites. If your looking to create your website or to up your game to create websites for your clients be sure to check out Elegant Themes for beautiful WordPress themes.

Successfully influencing your brand image is all about brand awareness. When your brand evokes positive feelings and images in the minds of your audience this goes a long way in ensuring you build a successful brand.

Factors which can positively or negatively influence your brand image include:

• Quality Content
• Social Media Presence
• Your Website
• Public Relations
• Company Culture
• Customer Service

Pro tip: let people constantly know about your business. You will be at the forefront of their minds and they will take notice.

4. Brand Culture

Your brand culture stems from your shared values and the vision of your brand. The belief system behind your brand, everything your brand stands for or promotes, from excellent customer service to sustainability  to commitment to a clearly defined cause. This then translates to the way employees are treated as well as their buy in/belief in the cause. Remember a company’s 1st and most important brand ambassadors are its employees. 

A strong, influential brand culture exists when employees understand , buy in to and demonstrate to you the vision and the core values of your brand. When a company’s brand is strong this in turn will influence customers to buy in and want to become part of the culture. Thus a key factor is your quest to build a successful brand.

5. Your Personal Brand

You are your brand! For solopreneurs this is quite obvious as they are the ones which the public sees. Larger companies need to bear this in mind as well. Brand spokespersons, ambassadors, CEOs – pretty much anyone in the public eye for your brand must also embody your brand personality. The CEO of a healthy lifestyles company ideally should not be seen drunk at a club or having fast food every day!

Building your personal brand takes time and consistency and goes hand in hand with building your company brand. Companies which focus on the personal brand are able to better connect with their customers as they are able to connect with the face of the brand.

Conclusion

Now you know the key factors required to build a successful brand: brand personality, brand identity, brand image, brand culture and your personal brand. 

Do you need help building your brand or streamlining your Marketing efforts? Of course you do! Be sure to book a free call to find out more about the Marketing Services I offer. Subscribe to receive my marketing tidbits delivered straight to your inbox. Here’s a free Marketing Plan Guide below to get you started!