SEO Hosting Blog

I’ve always been a firm believer that it’s better to do one thing exceptionally well than to do a dozen things at a mediocre level. Unfortunately, not enough companies take this advice to heart.

Too many companies try to be everything to everybody, when in reality they would be better off focusing on being something to somebody. It might sound counterintuitive, but the narrower your brand’s focus is, the stronger your brand can become.

Here’s a good example of what I’m talking about.

No matter where you are in the United States, you’ve probably heard on In-N-Out Burger, even though the fast food chain only has locations in a few states in the Southwest. Why is that?

One of the main reasons for In-N-Out Burger’s success is that they’ve focused their efforts on doing one thing well—making a killer burger. Their menu is the complete opposite of almost any other fast food place you go to. It’s very limited. Rather than giving customers 50 different options of mediocre courses, they just offer the following: hamburger, cheeseburger, double cheeseburger (Double-Double), fries, and shakes.

The In-N-Out brand is built on being something to somebody rather than everything to everybody. The brand has a very small focus, and that’s what has driven its success to date.

Now, let me give you an example of just the opposite.

Remember Blockbuster Music? Yeah, you probably forgot about it. That’s because it was a colossal failure. Blockbuster used to be the undisputed king of video rentals. That was their focus. Then, they got greedy. They tried to start selling music too, so Blockbuster Music stores were opened across the country.

Problem was, people associated the Blockbuster name with two things: rentals and movies. The new music concept was confusing to consumers, and as a result, the company faced years of losses. It was a disaster.

Sure, you can point to examples of companies expanding their focus successfully over time, but typically, these are the exceptions to the rule. Healthy growth and expansion within your category is possible, but when you start expanding your brand’s focus too much, the brand name gets watered down, losing its strength and profitability.

Your brand is your company’s personality. It’s the thing that separates you from your competition and that gives customers a reason to do business with you. Without a strong brand, your company is just another indistinguishable face in the crowd, floating aimlessly while hoping for success.
If you’re interested in creating a successful brand, be sure to avoid these common mistakes.
1. Thinking a brand is just a logo—Your logo isn’t your brand. Neither is your tagline. Or your website. Your brand is everything from the logo to the quality of your products and services. It includes your customer service, the design of your website, your social media profiles, and the packaging of your goods. Everything plays a role in shaping the image of your brand. So, instead of just focusing on the logo, take a look at the bigger picture to create a powerful brand.

2. Not understanding your true strengths—Before you can begin the branding process, you need to understand your true strengths (and weaknesses for that matter). Let’s suppose you run a dry cleaning business. If fast turnaround time isn’t your biggest strength, don’t focus all of your marketing and advertising on your turnaround time. Instead, focus on what you truly do well and better than the competition (e.g. getting stains out of delicate fabrics or something along those lines).

3. Not getting outside help—Going back to the last point, the reason many people don’t understand their business’ true strengths is because they’re too close to it. Sometimes, you need a fresh perspective. Consider working with an experienced branding agency. Their experience and fresh set of eyes will help you to find the best way to position your brand in the marketplace.

4. Having an inconsistent image—Remember earlier when I said your brand is more than a logo…it’s everything? Too many businesses forget about this, and they end up creating an inconsistent image. Everything about your brand should be working together in harmony. Your copy should all use a consistent tone. Your imaging should match the tone of your copy and the overall theme of your brand. Consistency is key to building trust with consumers and to cementing your brand image in their minds.

5. Being different just to be different—If you want to be successful, you need to be able to differentiate your company from the competition. However, some businesses take this overboard by being different just for the sake of being different. Cutting mattresses in half with a chainsaw isn’t branding, and it doesn’t give me a compelling reason to shop at your furniture store. The thing that makes your brand different needs to be something that provides a tangible value to your customers.
Which branding mistakes would you add to this list? Share your thoughts in the replies.

Branding is a word that gets thrown around commonly in marketing discussions. Sure, you know you want to create an identity that your audience immediately associates with you, but do you know how to do it? How can you create a brand that consumers actually marry to for life? What follows is a list of 7 branding mistakes companies make that hold them back from creating memorable, lasting brands.

1. Being a Me Too Brand- Just because you offer the same basic services as your competition doesn’t mean you should create the same brand as them. You can create a unique brand even if your product isn’t all that unique. Think about it—McDonalds and Burger King sell essentially the same products, but they have completely different brands. Burger King is all about flame broiled and having it your way. McDonalds has the familiar arches and the “I’m loving it” campaign. Consumers see them as the creators of fast food. It’s two completely different brand images, but both have been successful in the same field.
2. Not Understanding Your Audience- You can’t please everybody. Too many companies try to target the world when they should just be targeting a tiny niche. You need to identify who your true target audience is. By getting to know them, you can create a brand that they can connect with. In the end, this is far more profitable than trying to be all things to all people.
3. Not Knowing Your Strengths- Successful brands always play up their strengths. Dominos was successful because they could deliver your pizza in 30 minutes. FedEx became known as the company that could get your packages to you overnight. Figure out the strength of your company, and build your brand around that. (more…)