When creating your brand, it’s so important that you think about everything, from your logo to the colour scheme and even the tag line too. As if that wasn’t enough, you also need to make sure that you have a strong message and a good support system.

Here are 8 branding tips to help you create a rock-solid brand.

1. Customer Perception

You may understand your brand and everything that it stands for, but do your customers?

Ask your family and friends to give their opinion on any potential logo designs that you have and ask them to guess what service you provide. This will help you to get in the mindset of your customers and it will help you to conduct a business analysis too. If you have never given much thought to this side of things before, then it may also be worth looking into your target market.

Think about it, who is going to be buying your product? Are you solving a problem? Does your logo and branding reflect this? These are all questions that you need to ask yourself because if you don’t then you may end up doing yourself more harm than good. If you haven’t got any kind of logo yet, then it may be worth trying to contact a professional. When you do, they can then work with you to make sure that you get the best result out of your design.

2. Build an Online Platform

If you want to really rocket your brand, then you need to have a quality online platform. This could include a blog or even a website (see here for a guide on how to start a website). This will help you to amplify any content you create while also giving you another channel in which to engage with your audience. Social networking sites are also ideal for things like this, but when choosing one, you need to make sure that it relates to your brand.

3. Weaving your Brand

Personal branding should be a part of every single thing that you do. If you are able to develop your personal brand, then this will help your company brand, so make sure that you are presenting yourself in the way you want the world to see you. If you go to networking events then it helps to take a business card with you as well because you never know when the next big opportunity is going to come along.

4. Be Consistent

Put yourself in the shoes of your customers. Which brands are you most loyal to? When you have your answer, then think about why this is the case. There’s a high chance that they have earned your trust because they are truly dependable.

If you are able to make your brand like this then you will be able to really take it to that next level, while also showcasing it for everything that it stands for. If you are concerned about your brand not being consistent enough then corporate management software may be just what you need.

5. Don’t Please Everyone

You are never going to please everyone, so don’t try. If you want to bring out the best of your brand, then you need to make sure that you market yourself to a specific set of users. When you have your target market, focus on them.

For example, if you know that your target audience are young then don’t be afraid to unleash a campaign that is catered to this generation. You might want to offer student discounts or even focus your advertising more on social media. This will help you to build loyalty and it will also help you to stand out from the crowd.

If you try and please everyone then you may end up pleasing nobody, and this will ultimately mean that you are wasting your time, money and effort.

6.Produce Value

Everything you do should be centred on value.

Take Apple for example, they produce value by offering quality devices but at the same time, they come with a high price tag. You don’t need to do this in order to gain a solid customer base. Look at Ikea, they provide low-end products but still provide value.

If you want to make the most out of your experience, then you need to know what sets your product apart from your competition. You also need to know your USP and how your product benefits your customers. As long as you are giving them something useful, or something that’s worth them spending money on you shouldn’t have a problem at all.

7. Team up with Strong Brands

Believe it or not, your personal brand will become strengthened if you partner with the right people.

If you know that there is another business that works in your industry, then team up with them so that your products can complement one another. For example, if you sell band t-shirts, then team up with a sticker company so that you can give your customers a freebie whenever they order. This will give both companies publicity and you may even find that you make new alliances as a result.

If you partner with the wrong brand, or a brand that has been portrayed negatively by the media, then this could actually damage your image so make sure that you keep that in mind when planning out that next step.

8. Brand Awareness

Finally, it’s very easy for you to spread brand awareness by using techniques that are a little outside the box.

You might want to set up a financial referral program or you might even want to create an infographic. Things like this can really help your brand awareness and it can also help you to really step out in terms of advertising.

Other ideas include offering freemium content, giving away any items you have for free, running social media contests or having your own podcast.

PPC is also an option, so explore what’s right in front of you and use it to your advantage. When you do, your brand will be better for it and you may even find that you end up breaking down barriers as a result.

What other branding tips do you have?