For most businesses, branding is something of a balancing act. It’s about creating a lasting impact without alienating any potential customers. Because of this, knowing what not to do is incredibly important.

Today on Above the Noise, ReminderMedia graphic designer Chelsea Kirk explores three common branding mistakes (and explains what you should do instead).

Video Transcription

When it comes to branding, never underestimate the power of a first impression. For better or worse, people are going to form opinions about your business very quickly. That’s why it’s important to be aware of common branding mistakes that so many businesses make.

1. Not having a target audience

If you’re looking to make a profit, you’ll obviously want to work with a lot of different customers. But that doesn’t mean you should try to appeal to everybody at once. When you cast too wide of a net, you risk not reaching anybody at all. So, instead, identify what makes you unique. Then, you can strive to connect with the audience who would benefit from what you have to offer. When you focus on providing the best possible service to the right customers, everybody wins.

2. Being overly focused on trends

A lot of businesses will do whatever they can to latch on to just about any trending topic. When topical marketing is done right, it can bring positive attention to your business. But, when it doesn’t work, you’ll look like you’re trying too hard. If you’re going to focus on something timely, make it something more universal—like an upcoming holiday.

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At the end of the day, it’s not going to matter whether your brand looks cool or hip, what’s important is making connections with customers and creating lasting, profitable relationships.

3. Not including yourself in your marketing

When you’re a service-based sales professional, you’re going to be a lot more successful if you learn to embody your brand. This is because clients want to work with somebody who they know, like, and trust. When you address your audience personally in your marketing materials, they’ll feel like they know you long before the two of you have ever had an actual conversation. And this means that they’ll be much more likely to do business with you.

The takeaway

And there you have it: three branding mistakes that you should avoid, along with more successful approaches that you can use instead. If you liked this video, you can comment and let me know some branding strategies that have worked for you. All you have to do is subscribe to this YouTube channel and hit the bell icon to be notified when new videos are released. But, more importantly, take action on this today.