The creation of a brand is immensely important for both small and large enterprises.
A brand is the face of a company, its character and personality. It is what distinguishes a business venture from thousands of others in the sector. A brand is what clients think of when they hear a company name.
Your brand’s image comprises elements which have been planned by you – such as the logo and slogan – but also all associations and client experiences linked to your salon. Despite not being able to influence the thoughts of individuals using your services, you are not entirely powerless in this matter. This is because the emotions felt by those hearing the name of your company are dependent on your actions and your client approach.
How to create and develop your own brand? Here are a few tips.
1. Take one step at a time
To be certain that your enterprise is doing well from the very first days of its functioning, you should undertake the task of establishing and creating the brand several months before your company becomes operative. As a result, your potential clients will learn about your salon early enough to impatiently await its opening – if provided with an appropriate incentive.
2. Define your brand
This is a very crucial step which gives the brand its initial shape. It consists in determining the brand’s personality, its assumptions and objectives, i.e. anything which you want to convey to your clients. Decide what makes your venture stand out from the competition. Think about your brand as a person: what features would it have if it was a human? What age would it be, what lifestyle would it lead and what life values would it honour?
3. Come up with a catchy name
A name and a logo are key elements of the visual identification of your brand. In this case, it is extremely important to combine creativity with simplicity. The company name should be catchy and easy to remember, while the logo should build positive associations and be memorable.
4. Get to know your target group
To begin promoting your brand and reach potential clients, you must have the knowledge of who you will be addressing. Have a good think about who your clients are: what they enjoy, what they need, what their interests are, and how you can attract them. What will persuade them to put their trust in you and stay with you for good? Make sure that your brand provides them with what they are looking for.
5. Ensure transparent and cohesive client communication
Remember to communicate your values clearly and consistently – by means of both offline and online channels. Make every effort to keep your messages consistent, and avoid expressing differing opinions in order not to lose credibility in the eyes of your clients.
6. Develop and maintain positive client relations
Client relations require attention from the very start. In addition to exceptionally vital first impressions, maintaining positive emotions and experiences linked to client visits in your salon is absolutely necessary. Every individual taking advantage of your services has expectations which must be met to ensure repeat visits. Of key importance is not losing the client trust you currently enjoy, as you only need to let your clients down once for them to take their custom elsewhere.
7. Become inspired but refrain from copying
Steer clear from imitating large and well-known brands. Although it pays to draw inspiration from good practices, it is vital to have your own ideas and vision – in order to create something new instead of duplicating existing concepts. If you have the opportunity to cooperate with respected specialists in the field, the level of recognition of your brand is sure to benefit. Remember that cooperation with a company or individuals who express opinions or promote trends which are contrary to those promoted by you may bring more harm than good.
8. Surprise your clients
Effective company promotion does not consist of showing all your cards at the same time. By revealing your assets gradually and allowing your clients to get to know your brand independently, you will gain their trust and loyalty easier. Positive surprises make any good impressions remain with clients for longer and they also give better results by encouraging repeat visits and even transforming your clients into ambassadors of your brand.
The creation of a brand may seem like an immense challenge. In reality, it is a straightforward process and the effort invested results in many advantages: it helps you win over your clients’ trust, give the company a unique character and establish its position on the market. Most importantly, the entire undertaking does not have to equal considerable financial outlays – making use of your creativity will enable you to achieve excellent results with minimal costs.
Author:
Agnes Kafka is a marketing specialist working at Versum, salon management software. You can find more business tips on Versum blog. Agnes lives and breathes social media and advises salons on their marketing campaigns. Loves music, hopes to learn ukulele one day.
