When most people start their own business, they think about the product, profits and growth. And of course these are important, but what is essential, and often overlooked is that you need to create a brand, not just a business. 

Because a brand is what'll give you loyal customers that keep on coming back for more. A business sells products, but a brand provides an experience. 

Here's how we create a brand: 

1. PERSONIFY YOUR BRAND 

Humanise your business and give it a clear identity. How does it think and feel? This will enable you to establish meaningful connections with your audience. The thing is, people not only want to connect with other people, but they want to buy from them too. 

       2.  CREATE A VISUAL IDENTITY 

By creating a visual identity you're making your business easily recognisable and building up that brand recognition. I highly recommend working with a Brand Strategist and & Designer from the get go so you can really nail your visual branding immediately. Once you have your visual identity, you need to be consistent with it and make sure it's across every single asset in your business. Think social media, website, printing, packaging... the works! 

       3. STAND FOR SOMETHING BIGGER 

Go deeper and build brand values into your business. What does your brand stand for? What is important to you? This will help you build a more meaningful connection with your audience. A few examples of this might be slow fashion, sustainability, supporting mothers, donating a percentage of sales to charity. Lots of options! 

      4. KNOW YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER 

Do you know your ideal customer like they're a bestie? Nope, well you need to. Knowing every single detail about your ideal customer enables you to create a brand you know they'll love. But it doesn't stop there, it also means you can create all of your marketing messages for them too. If you haven't nailed down your ideal customer yet, get onto it. 

At the end of the day, there is always going to be other businesses that sell the same products or offer the same services that you do. But, your brand is what is going to set you apart from everyone else. 

Want to learn more about creating a brand? We cover this in detail in The Step Up, an online course for small business owners.