Build Your Own Brand, What Does that Mean?

bykimwolfe

2K followers

Updated 6 years ago

If you are like me, then you've struggled to understand what building your own brand really means. How do I apply it to me? How do I create my own brand for my website, product or service?

And I've been in marketing for 20 years now. Yes, you read that right! I just admitted that to you, because I'm a real person. I'm human...just like you. As I start my own online business adventure, I am still figuring things out for my own unique scenario.

I recently realized I was making this question way too complicated. I was missing the fact that this can actually be a simple process. This can be easy to do. I was thinking on this way too hard!

What is a brand?

A brand is simply a perception of what others see or think when they see you, your website, your product or your service.

What makes a brand?

Personality! Uniqueness! You!

The reality is, we are all unique. There is no other me. There is no other you. You and I are both different. Even though we may have similarities, we are still different in our own ways. Our differences could be how we talk, our accents, where we live, where we are from. Our differences could be how we dress, our interests, what you like and what I like. It's ok to use the differences as ways we can learn from each other. If you and I were both asked to come up with a logo idea for the same website, product or service, you and I would likely come up with different ideas.

Brands don't make themselves!

People are behind every brand! It is because of people, like you and me, that a brand is formed. And how they are formed, is your interpretation of what that brand identity should be, from your eyes, from your point of view. Don't get me wrong, you absolutely want to keep your audience in mind. However, most audiences don't really care about the colors you use or the icon in your logo.

Even the most simple, basic, plain websites in the world can generate traffic which can generate revenue. And the traffic coming to that site just wants what they came for, whatever that is. And if that not so pretty website fulfills that need well, that is more important than what the website looks like.

What people care about is what you can do for them. How you can help them. What problem can you help them solve. If you do that really well, then they will appreciate your brand, your identity, however you create it to be.

How to build a brand?

Keep it Simple. Keep it You.

The main tip here is to keep it simple and a reflection of you in some sort of way.

This could be done by the product you sell because you know about it, you use it personally or you just think it is the most awesome product out there and everyone should know about it.

This could be done by the colors you use. Start with your favorite color.

This could be done by the font you use in your logo. Start with your favorite font.

This could be done by choosing the template you use for your website. Start with one that you like that you think represents what you are offering well.

8 Quick Start Steps to Building Your Brand

1. Start with one idea. Focus on that one idea.
2. Research your audience
3. Research your competitors (i.e. companies who are already serving your audience)
4. Choose a name from the domain names that are available
5. Choose two or three colors to represent your visual brand
1. Pick contrasting colors such as black and white, red and light grey, dark blue and light blue
   
6. Choose one simple icon to go with those colors to represent your visual brand
   
1. This step is optional but is an easy quick way to add that extra flair to your name
2. For creative help, check out logos from popular companies such as Apple and Facebook
1. These logos are amazingly simple
7. Name + icon + colors = Brand Logo
1. That is simple enough, right?
8. Choose a website theme that goes with your visual brand
   
1. Most themes are very customizable when it comes to colors
2. Usually, you want to choose a clean template to make your content easy to read

And that is how you start building your own brand!

I personally have been obsessing over the look so much, that I'm forgetting what really matters. The content! The way I'm going to solve my viewers problem. The way I'm going to help them out when they land on my website. Once I realized this, I quickly built my brand to the steps above and now I'm moving on, moving forward!

If this helped you, please leave me a comment below!

If you have more questions, ask them below!

Otherwise....Happy Branding -:)