Don't Get Tripped Up by These 5 Branding Myths Dogged daily engagement, not big bucks, will lead to your success.
By Nina Zipkin
You want your brand to be memorable and have a fair amount of longevity. What you don't want for it is to struggle under the weight of unforeseen legal issues, a weak strategy or arbitrary deadlines. Here are five ways to make sure your brand sings.
Myth: Branding always costs a fortune.
Reality: If you're bootstrapping, be selective and invest your dollars in what you can afford and what will be most meaningful in the long term. For instance, you might not need a full-time marketing staff right at the start, but you should consider a high-quality logo. Make every dollar make an impact.
Read more: The 3 Ways to Market Your Brand Without a Budget
Myth: I need a celebrity endorsement.
Reality: The face of your brand doesn't need to be musician, sports star or other celebrity. You can always leverage real users to inspire future customers on how they could use your product or service. But if you ink any brand ambassador deals, do your due diligence and be really sure you know the backgrounds of the people who'll be representing your company.
Read more: 5 Considerations When Seeking a Celebrity to Endorse Your Brand
Myth: Branding can wait.
Reality: Even if you haven't yet launched, don't neglect branding. A little early buzz can help pique people's interest. Market research efforts can help you connect with customers while giving them a first look at what you have to offer. Blogs and updates during beta can help you test the waters and guage interest. Give your community the inside scoop and make them feel like a part of the process – because they are.
Read more: Brander Beware: 5 Pitfalls That Will Limit Your Startup
Myth: My product will sell itself.
Reality: Of course a stellar product will lead to worth of mouth and social media praise, but you want your brand to expand on the qualities of the product to tell an emotionally-driven narrative that will appeal to your customers and make them want to come back for more.
Read more: Is There a Difference Between a Product and a Brand?
Myth: My campaign is finished.
Reality: Marketing work is never done. It's important to constantly think about branding so it can evolve as your product does. Set up a schedule so that you are cultivating it and helping it grow every day through a blog post, social media engagement, in person meetings, cold calls, partnership meetings and more.
Read more: 5 Branding Myths Debunked
