Branding for your Craft Business
by Chrisy Bossie
Brand and brand management is the basis of your advertising and the way people remember you. When I sell my product I want the person that bought it to be able to remember the name “earthegy” years from now. I want that word to be famous. That means I have to bombard them with my logo and business name wherever and whenever possible.
What is a branding strategy to start out with? If you don’t already have a business name, come up with one that rolls off the tongue easily and is memorable. Short, sweet, and descriptive of your product line is your goal. A name like “Mary’sAuthenticJewelryForYou” is an example of poor branding design. It’s a snooze, it’s way too long for anyone to easily mention to others, and it’s easily forgotten. Heck, it probably wouldn’t even fit on a business card.
Once you have your business name figured out, it’s time for a logo. Your logo should also be simple and memorable and it should be associated with your niche product. This image is the visual step in how to design a brand. A picture of your pet hamster does not make a proper logo for someone selling hats. You need to come up with something that makes your shop and product line cohesive.
What are Branding Strategies?
Branding of a product or yourself can be done in a ton of ways. A few that work for me:
1. All of my products are shipped in boxes with a round sticker on them with my logo and business name. (Note, I do not put my branding on the mailing packaging because I do not want to encourage thieves.)
2. I ONLY post in forums, on Facebook, or on blog posts under my business name. I don’t care if people know my real name, “earthegy” is the word I want them to remember.
3. Every business email I send has a link to my online shops and Facebook page.
4. My Christmas postcards have my logo and business name on them, rather than a picture of Santa or reindeer.
5. A business card with my logo and business name goes in every single order, whether they’re a new customer or a repeat customer. My customers need my business cards so they can share them with their friends.
6. When I make up coupon codes I use my business name in the code. For instance, I may run a sale for 20% off, and the coupon code will be EARTHEGY20OFF
7. My business name is somewhere in the description and tags of all my products, so if people do a search for me just by my business name they could very well land on a product page, which is exactly where I want them.
If you already have a logo or business, should you consider changing it? Only if it’s not yet recognizable and it doesn’t match your niche. Branding is a long term process, so you’re essentially starting over at square one if you change your brand. An easier alternative may be to just alter your brand logo or name slightly, into a more effective version.
If you enjoyed this post on what is branding a product, look for future articles on Craftmarketer by Chrisy Bossie. To learn more, visit http://www.earthegy.com/
Also read Chrisy Bossie’s article How to Plan a Business Plan.
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