A brand image, simply put, is the way people view your business. There are so many different types of people that can take notice of your brand, including existing clients, employees, potential clients, potential investors, the press, brand ambassadors, and more.

Their perception will come together through a culmination of how they align with your brand’s purpose, personality, and values. When you can capture all three of these, that is the winning combination on which lifelong business relationships are built.

Your business’ brand image is equally as important as your products/services. It should drive every business decision you make, from the scent that people will first smell when they walk in, to the causes you represent and support, to the types of products and services you offer. Your branding should be nurtured and honored as the foundation of your business, and serve as a guiding light as you continue to grow and scale.

As your business grows, your brand will continue to evolve; you may bring additional brands under your business umbrella, or scale your brand story to better represent a new revenue stream, or even adjust to represent your growing team and how they play an integral role in your business. Your brand image is limitless, in the grand scope of business. Therefore, it is important to realize that no brand image is set in stone, and that as your business grows, so does your brand.

With the malleable nature of your brand image in mind, the best way to get started on the development of your brand is to start with what you know now. Remember, your brand will grow, and your brand image will organically follow in suit. The important thing is just to get started, which you can do in just 5 easy steps.

1) Establish the purpose of your business

This can be executed in a number of ways and methodologies; developing a business plan, defining your 1-3-5 year goals, writing a mission statement, etc. To start out, take a moment to reflect on your why; what prompted you to create this business, what need is it going to solve, and why you’re the one to bring this business to life. Once you have your beginning defined, dare to dream big; if there were no variables or limitations, where could this business be in one year, in three years, in five years? By the end, you should be able to identify a big picture view of your business at present, through at least a few years out. The details in between are less important than establishing your starting point, and setting your sights on a distant point on the horizon to strive towards. We have a way of carving our own path between beginning and end when striving to reach our goals.

2) Identify your target market

A target market is the audience you’re trying to reach that best aligns with your brand’s personality. They will be the most likely to buy your product/service, and build a lasting bond with your brand. If your business has already been active for a few months or more, you can use your current client base demographics to shape your target market.

If you’re just starting out, it is recommended that you research your competitors’ demographics. Align their results with an analysis on your product/service to determine a starting point. For instance, if you and your competitors both sell online workshops that are aimed towards parents and families, you can search your competitors’ demographics to obtain their most engaged age ranges, gender, regions, media platforms, etc., and integrate that information into an A/B testing scenario to refine your target market.

3) Create your defining statement

Crafting a defining statement for your business is the art of creating a concise value statement about who your audience is, and what the outcomes of your product/service will be. Your statement should be a one sentence powerhouse, with simple language that highlights the people you serve best. This statement should be conversational and repeatable. If you won’t say it, it’s not a defining statement. If your clients won’t repeat it, it's not a defining statement. Consider Nike’s defining statement, “Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world”, and how much that statement plays a part in every single aspect of their business.

Your defining statement, when executed properly, will be represented across every platform and communication channel you interact with. It will be part of your email signature, displayed on all print media, serve as your opening headline on your website, and so much more. Not only will it serve as a visual representation of your business, but it will also support your brand image through your day to day client interactions. If you don’t find yourself organically interweaving your defining statement into at least one conversation a day, then you need to rework your statement.

In part II of What is a Brand Image, we will continue discussing how to establish a starting point for your brand image by picking up with the fourth step out of five total steps. Tune in next month!

In the meantime, I challenge you to start on the first three steps we have covered here in part I. Don’t just go through the motions, really invest yourself into the process. Take a look at some of the brands that you admire, or buy from, the most. How are they living their purpose? How are they speaking to their target market? How does their defining statement speak to you as a consumer? Then, take what you have learned, and apply it to your process.

When you’re ready to take the next step, we’re here for you.