Why you should love your brand

Remember how it felt when your business venture first came to mind? And then when you started strategising, drawing up your business plan, creating your main offering… it was an exciting time! But what happened?

Building a business can be overwhelming, and developing a brand that consistently reflects your values can be tough. “Am I doing it right?” “Am I doing enough?” “Am I doing too much?” are all common thoughts when it comes to branding, but it doesn’t need to be that way.

Think about where your branding is at right now. How much do you love your brand? Does your brand capture your vision clearly? What do you feel could change?

First things first

A brand is more than a logo and colour palette, and it is definitely more than the fonts you choose or the emojis you use to promote your business on social media. It is all of these things and more.

Your brand is your business identity. It is the ‘personality’ or ‘character’ your business shares in the public sphere.

People will recognise your business if you have strong branding, and to achieve this, you really need to love your business and brand. And that means investing in branding that shows it.

Feel inspired to grow your business

Remembering why you started your business and maintaining your passion will naturally help your business to grow. Think about your business roots and what inspired you to create the foundation you’re working with now. If it was to provide a service that helps people, ask yourself, “Have I achieved this?” “When did I achieve it?” “How could I improve it?” “Can I help more people with this service?” The same applies if your business offers a product.

Remember that it is ok to question your initial decisions if you feel your strategies are not working. Regroup and attend seminars in-person or on Zoom that walk you through the process of rebuilding the business you love. It is important to speak to a hospitality marketing professional like me who can set you on the right path to finding your inspiration again.

Self-confidence and pride

You want your customers to trust your brand so much that they return again and again, but this is an impossible feat if the owner and team lack confidence in their own business!

With effective and honest branding, staff are more likely to feel confident in the service they are providing. Good branding helps owners and employees alike to bring passion to their role – and this shows when the customers start rolling in.

While some hospitality venues stand by staff wearing casual attire, you may find that wearing branded apparel can create a more united front and increase motivation in the workplace. Likewise, a business with branded merchandise for use and for sale can professionalise your front-of-house area, instilling pride in your staff and reminding people of the quality of your deliver.

Stand out from the crowd

Your hospitality business isn’t the only one in town… so how do you entice customers to enter your venue instead of that bustling bar down the street?

If you’re struggling to get bums on seats, take a look at your current advertising strategy. Without solid branding and advertising, you probably won’t present as competition to nearby hospitality sites.

But how do you show what your brand is all about? Advertising is highly visual, so ensure your logo stands out, and you choose fonts that speak to your audience. For example, avoid soft calligraphy-style fonts if your brand targets male labourers.

Your brand’s colours should complement your font and appeal to the target audience. For example, if your café is located in an upper-middle class suburb alongside long-standing businesses that service an older market, you would avoid signage featuring fluorescent colours or neon lights.

Your branding must reflect your values, denote excellence, and highlight your passion. Keeping this in mind will help you to stand out from the crowd.

Builds trust and loyalty

If you’ve rushed any elements in the branding process, you may find it harder to gain your customers’ trust and loyalty than a business who has invested sufficient time into developing a clear marketing strategy.

Every one of us judges businesses based on their brand – whether we realise it or not…

Whoops! You made two typos in that last Facebook post!

Uh oh! The font you went with on your A-Board posters is hard to read and leaves passers-by frustrated.

Oh no! The signage outside your venue gives the vibe that women and children will be nicely accommodated at your venue, but – a family has stepped inside the door only to be met only with bar stools and tall tables. Disaster.

Your customers want to know what they’re getting from your business from the start. Building trust between venue and customer doesn’t start at your product offering or service skills – it begins with branding.

So with that in mind, where are you at with your branding or rebranding? Whether it’s a minor refresh or a completely new look for your business, I’m here to help.

Get in touch with me today by sending a message here. Let's chat about your business over coffee and work out the best branding strategy for you!