Top 4 Branding Mistakes to Avoid

In marketing, how you actively shape your brand and its design elements is vitally important, and a misstep might be the difference between gaining a new loyal customer or them going to your competitor. Whether you are a new company just getting off the ground, or looking to rebrand your business, here are a few common branding mistakes to avoid.

Developing a Generic Brand Identity

Everyone wants their business to be recognizable to customers, and it should be clear and obvious what your business does. Many companies will be tempted to take shortcuts, such as using premade templates for logos or imitating the font and style choices of similar businesses. While this might make it easy for people to guess what your business does, you will not stand out from the crowd. An important part of your brand identity is what sets you apart. Why should potential clients choose you over similar companies? It is worth it to hire a professional for this purpose.

Inconsistency in your Marketing

Nothing says forgettable like a business that does not have its identity figured out. Brand guidelines serve to demonstrate what you represent, and what differentiates you from your competitors. When you deviate from you own guidelines, you come off as messy and all over the place, and you will confuse your customer base. Cohesive branding has value.

Relying on Passing Trends

This is an era of constant consumption where news, fast fashion and social media updates grab our attention momentarily before we are grabbed by the next big thing. That means something is always trending, whether it is a hashtag, media story, or the latest style. It is important to remember that these waves come and go. It can be easy as a brand to get swept up in the tide of exciting new trends, but remember that these fleeting styles fade quickly, leaving you looking dated. Do not waste your valuable time and resources on invaluable returns.

Not Properly Communicating your Value

Whether it is your tagline, mission statement or even a headline on your homepage, not effectively communicating to audiences what makes your brand unique will drive people away from your brand immediately. Customers can smell insincerity from a mile away. For all copy, think about what you do and why it matters. Avoid too many buzzwords and vague terminology, and be sure to communicate the problems you solve without imitating your competitors too closely.

Good brand identity creates visual and emotional connections with your clients and customers. They set the tone of your brand, give your business a personality, and makes you stand apart from your competition.

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