So you have a cloth diaper
business right? Are you satisfied with the success of your
business thus far or is something missing?
Perhaps what is missing is brand
recognition. As a business owner, you must create brand
recognition among your targeted customer base in order to build
a strong, reputable, and successful business. Your chances for
success are much greater if your potential customers recognize
and respect your brand of products. So why is branding
important?
Well, think briefly about FedEx,
Coke, and Home Depot. They all have powerful offline brands.
Also think about Yahoo and Amazon, they have powerful online
brands. These brands reinforce or influence what people already
think about these companies. The recognition of the company’s
brand usually instills a sense of trust within the consumer thus
making it easier to make a purchase. Branding involves figuring
out what makes your company unique and special, and creating a
visible presentation of it.
So how can you develop your
brand? Start with your logo. Your logo is the visual cornerstone
of your branding image. This image represents your company’s
image and is one of the main things that will make your company
or product memorable. So don’t skimp on logo design. Make sure
your logo matches what your company stands for is tastefully and
artistically designed. It will be one of the most important
factors when potential customers are developing their first
impressions. A tag line can also be used in conjunction with a
logo. A tag line is a catchy one sentence statement that sums up
your business and gives visitors something to remember about
your products.
Your domain name is also
important. To the best of your ability make sure your domain
name lends itself naturally to your company name. This may be
hard as the preferred domain names are increasingly hard to
secure but this must be an important consideration in the
branding process. You are served best by a domain that is unique
and easy to remember.
Since your business focus may
primarily be online then a functional and attractively designed
Web site is also important. The image you represent is part of
your branding as well and your anchor is your logo. Everything
should be cohesive and easy to navigate. Also, does the
appearance of your Web site easily translate into your other
marketing materials, such as invoices, care instructions, and
business cards?
Remember though, even if your
business is exclusively online, that doesn't mean you can't
brand offline too. You can get offline brand exposure across
lots of different media through print advertisements,
distributing business cards, sending invoices, letters and
holiday cards, wearing your company's logo on a T-shirt, and
through a variety of other activities.
So get busy and develop your
brand! Branding done right means that as your network and
reputation gains recognition, your business will snow ball – and
every person who encounters your stellar service and products
will become an evangelist for your business.
Here are some questions to ask:
-
What makes my diaper business
unique and special?
-
How can I show my customers
that “my” company is the best choice for their business?
-
Does my Web site have a
company theme that is pleasing to the eye, catchy, and easy
to integrate into all of my other marketing materials?
-
What can I do to make the
shopping experiences of my customers memorable and special?
Think outside the box and create
a brand that is special and unique to you and your company; a
brand that that will come to be recognized and respected for
along time to come.
© The
Diaper Jungle
