Conducting a Brand Audit
It is our hope that every business owner in Livingston County will take time to evaluate and re-evaluate their brand over time and during their growth. A brand audit can be performed in-house or with the help of outside resources. It includes an analysis of the business brand as well as its management and marketing effectiveness with the goal of identifying methods for improvement.
A brand analysis will include several elements including the brand promise, name and logo, website and social media, marketing and collateral, and storefront signage and curb appeal. First and foremost, the brand promise needs to be developed. This concept focuses on your customer, your market and your sales pitch. What product or service is your business offering and what promise are you making to your customer.
Based on your core brand, you may need to redevelop your business name or add a tagline to add clarity to your brand. Choosing a name for your business is a critical decision, that can make or break your business. It has to fit and feel right for your brand. Make sure your name evokes a positive response and is understandable and appropriate for your product or service. It is important to avoid random names. Make sure to test out options with a variety of people who can give objective opinions. Researching the names of competitors can be helpful but you should not mimic or copy another business. Like many things, short is sweet for business names. No one remembers a long name and making it into a domain can be impossible if it’s too lengthy. If you have a name you’re committed to, the aesthetic representation of the name and business in a logo is just as critical. It is well worth the money to invest in working with a professional designer to create the logo.
Every business audit will be different depending on the current strengths and weaknesses of the brand. The goal is for you to look at your business brand with a fresh set of eyes and make some critical decisions about improving your messaging and marketing. Even more than that, this is an opportunity to help you understand your brand better and establish why you are communicating in particular ways with your customers.
To start ask yourself some questions:
What is your business name and what does it mean?
Do you have a tagline or marketing slogan?
What are you selling?
What do you want your customers to feel when they are in your store?
Do you have a “brand promise” or mission statement?
Who is your ideal customer?
Conducting a brand audit is not complete without critically analyzing your marketing materials and strategy to ensure your processes are easily reaching customers and engaging them to purchase. Some essential aspects of this include establishing and maintaining an easy-to-navigate website, carrying your brand through social media accounts, and developing promotional material.
In today’s digital age, an online presence with a website plays a big part in creating credibility in the business and retail world. It is especially useful to launch a website for startups and home-based businesses. In conjunction with your website, being on social media is important for developing a small business. A branded, consistent presence on social media accounts will make your business easier to find through a Google search and research new customer bases. There are many social media platforms that can be used, however, you do not need to be on every single one. Sometimes focusing on one or two profiles will benefit you more than trying to manage four or five. Common social media platforms to consider include Facebook, Instagram, Yelp, and TripAdvisor.
