5 Common Branding Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Did you know that one of the top reasons that businesses fail is poor marketing? A good marketing strategy starts with a strong brand vision, so if your brand isn't up to par, you're already starting off on the wrong foot.

Are you making one of several common branding mistakes?

We're here to talk about a few things that businesses do wrong when it comes to building brands. Read on to learn more.

1. Not Pinning Down a Target Audience

This is one of the biggest problems that businesses face when they're working on their social media and branding. They want to advertise to a general audience instead of pinning down a target audience.

You might be thinking that it's better to cast a wide net, but this isn't the case. In reality, you're making your life harder by being too general.

You want your brand to appeal to a specific group of people. If you're targeting the elderly, for example, it wouldn't make sense for your brand to incorporate memes and current trends.

Pick an audience and stick with it. It doesn't mean that you won't attract other customers; it will just keep you consistent.

2. Being Inconsistent

Speaking of being consistent, it's a must when you're building a brand.

Consistency stops your customers from getting confused. It also makes your brand more recognizable (which is crucial when you're trying to attract or retain customers).

Your brand voice should follow you all the way from your website to your social media platforms. Logos for brands should be included in merchandise, profile pictures, and more.

3. Not Being Flexible

Consistency is key, but that doesn't mean that you'll never have to make changes. When you're first getting started, you'll find that change is inevitable. You have to be open to changing your online branding strategy when something isn't working.

Flexibility and a willingness to change will make you adaptable. You'll allow your brand to grow with your business. Resisting change will leave you stagnant.

4. Trying Too Hard

Trying hard is great, but trying too hard can make a business look desperate and low-quality. You want your brand to represent your vision, not for it to look like an amalgamation of every other popular brand out there.

Your potential customers will recognize if you're just trying to market to them without actually building your business's "personality" into the brand. It will come off as inauthentic (and customers value authenticity).

5. Relying on Trends

Many business owners make the mistake of relying on trends to build their brands, but this is a huge mistake. Yes, trends are helpful when it comes to social media marketing, but if your brand is built upon a trend, it will look dated quickly.

Also, with the rise of "micro-trends" that make their way through the internet in a matter of weeks (if not days), there's no way to know whether or not the trend you're following is going to be relevant by the time your brand actually launches.

Keep trends in mind, but do your best to build a brand that's timeless.

Avoid These Common Branding Mistakes

When you're trying to build a brand, keep these common branding mistakes in mind. You want a brand with longevity that customers will love. Don't stand in your own way.

At Exigent Creative, we love helping businesses with their branding efforts. We can help you build your brand from the ground up. Contact us so we can start working together today.