How to find alignment with your brand

A business’s brand plays a crucial role in the overall success of the marketing efforts put forth by the business. Sure, a small business that hasn’t focused on branding might have a few successful campaigns, but for consistency and continuity, branding is key.

As entrepreneurs are often one with their brand, it can be challenging to think of how to link the person and the business under one umbrella. Here are some tips and tricks for finding alignment with your brand.

Identify core values and mission statement

A significant part of coming up with small business marketing ideas is figuring out your target market and how you’re going to interact with them. However, before you can figure out how to engage with your customers, you need to consider what you’re trying to convey at the core of the business. That means identifying the core values and mission statement of your brand.

A mission statement looks beyond the goal of making sales and earning income and into what value your service or product brings your customers. For example, Patagonia may sell jackets, but their mission statement is to build the best possible product without harming the environment, and ultimately being a part of the global solution rather than a part of the problem. Consider how you want to resonate with customers and what lasting mark you want your brand to leave.

Figure out your archetype

As an entrepreneur, it can be tempting to follow predatory marketing trends and shape your brand around what other people want to see rather than what matters to you. By building a brand that reflects who you are, you’ll feel more connected to the business and attract the clientele that you know will work with you.

Designer Cerries Mooney has built her design business around the concept of brand archetypes, based on philosopher Carl Jung’s research of the collective unconscious. In other words, she helps businesses build their brand by tapping into the design elements that will appeal to their core personality, covering logos, color schemes, fonts, etc.

By taking this approach, Mooney has built her own brand in a way that practices what she preaches, attracting customers who value her approach and vindicate her efforts as an entrepreneur. By creating a brand that connects with the person behind it, you feel more dedicated and in alignment with your business.

Conduct a brand audit

Conduct a brand audit to get clarity on which areas of your business are in alignment with the brand, which need some work, and which need a complete overhaul. For example, if you look at your social media platforms, you might see that your Instagram is top notch and up-to-date. On Facebook, however, you’re still using a logo from 2005.

Brand audits are especially helpful for entrepreneurs with limited resources, as they can provide direction as to which areas should be invested in first.

Create brand standards

Creating brand standards or a style guide not only acts as a strong point of referral when engaging in creative marketing efforts, but it also serves as an important tool if you have employees or contractors assisting you.

Brand standards often include components such as:

• Color codes pertinent to the brand color scheme, such as RGB and Hex codes.
• Logo designs and variants, such as all black with a transparent background, full-color or all white for different print marketing efforts.
• Brand ethos or the mission statement.
• Typography used.
• How photos and graphics can be used.
• Best practices when representing the brand.

This can be an effective exercise to work through for even a solo entrepreneur, as it can help ensure that all areas of the brand are addressed.

By creating a solid brand that aligns with the company’s values and those of the business owner, small business marketing efforts become easier to execute and less overwhelming.