Branding and Authenticity: What does it really take?

Branding and authenticity are two of the buzzwords you’ll find everywhere these days. Every Internet entrepreneur and startup firm is struggling to get the word out about their business, gain some notoriety, start a trend – and become a brand recognized across the country, or even around the world.

If you’re looking for a surefire way to build a global brand, we’ve got a bit of bad news: there is no one strategy that guarantees success. That said, if you’re willing to do some legwork and learn how to create an authentic brand, there are all kinds of things you can do that will hugely tip the scales in your favor.

1. Bring a Message: Business owners are human beings, and we all have beliefs and values that matter to us. If your brand stands for something – whether it’s your religious faith, a social or charitable cause, or anything else – it will be that much more memorable to consumers and more appealing to people who share your beliefs.
2. Always Overachieve: The secret to success isn’t just delivering what you promise – it’s delivering more than you promise. Guarantee print jobs within 24 hours, and then deliver them in two. Promise to get people onto Google’s top ten results in their industry, only to get them in the top three. Amaze your customers and they’ll always come back for more.
3. Strive for Consistency: It can be difficult to commit to a single marketing message or industry direction and stick with it, especially when other bright ideas come floating by. But the most powerful way to make an impact is to present a single, coherent message on every channel. Your brand will become known for that one thing, rather than pushing a confusing mish-mash of promotional messages that ultimately get ignored.
4. Be Yourself: There’s no surer path to failure than trying to emulate someone else’s success. If it worked for them, then it’s already been done, and you’ll never be as good at being someone than they are themselves. True authenticity means being yourself and putting your own message and your brand out there, without phoniness or fancy PR. Being genuine is the only path to true branding success.

Ready to learn more about branding and promoting your company? Contact Informatix today to learn more about forging a strong identity.