We’re in the middle of a golden age for technology entrepreneurs, with new startups getting millions of funding in record time nearly every day. People wanting to start their own tech businesses have the potential for enormous success, but they won’t be able to get there without good branding. Here are some of the Branding Tips technology entrepreneurs need to know to build a successful brand in today’s market.
Table of Contents
Branding Tips #1: You Have to Form an Emotional Bond
The best brands have a compelling story behind them, something for customers to relate to. If customers don’t know the story, they at least have a very good idea of what the brand offers. Apple is known as a quality innovator; they don’t necessarily bring things to the market first, but you know it’s a good product when they do. Their apple logo makes you think of high-quality, aesthetically pleasing technology that works as it’s supposed to.
Apple has formed an emotional bond with the legions of people who will never consider giving up their iPhone or switching off a Mac. Your goal as a technology entrepreneur is to build that same bond with your customers. It may not be the same messaging as Apple, but you have to figure out what your company stands for and make sure the customer knows that they come into contact with your brand every time they come into contact.
Branding Tips #2: It’s Not All About Your Logo
Even though most people think of a logo when they think of a brand, that’s not the end-all of your customers’ experience. Of course, you need a well-designed logo (which you can get done from Logo Design Services), but you have to go beyond the logo. Your company name, your mission statement, your vision, and the way you interact with consumers; all play a role in branding your company.
Your messaging is also critical. If you market through social media, you should adopt a certain voice for your social media accounts. That voice should be consistent with the brand you’re trying to build. Avoid confusion by keeping your voice consistent across all forms of communication with the public.
Branding Tips #3: You’re Selling Innovation
Innovation in the technology business can be tricky to sell, but you have to keep that in mind. It’s tricky because many times, innovation means introducing an unproven technology. Think of self-driving cars, for instance; when these first started hitting the road, there were many that were apprehensive, to say the least.
Keeping this newness in mind when you’re branding your new company is crucial. If anything, you should be highlighting the ways your brand ensures quality with every product and working to build trust with the public. That’s a surefire way to get your brand started in the right direction.
Branding Tips #4: Build Your Business Around Your Brand
As you’re building your business, keep your brand in mind. The best companies have foregone risky or off-brand products or services because they knew they were off-brand. Alternatively, companies that lose their way and adopt practices that don’t support their brand can hit hard times. Your brand was around before the rest of your business, so as your business grows, look at it through the lens of your brand’s story.
A Small Take away
One book that illustrates this concept is called “Good to Great” by Jim Collins. One of Collins’ core factors that made a company become great was their ability to adopt the “hedgehog concept”; in other words, their ability to identify the one thing that they were deeply passionate about, that they could be the best in the world at, and that they could make money doing. Those companies didn’t lose sight of their brand as their businesses grew; instead, their brand drove their growth. Don’t get distracted by shiny objects and stay the course!
The Value and impact of Branding in Online Reputation Management is significance. The proper utilization of branding tips made above can drastically improve the Online Reputation of a business.