Branding is critical to developing a mobile business, regardless of your marketing budget. It provides potential customers with an idea of what to expect — and helps to lure them back. Here are four ways to keep your brand consistent, even when your location isn’t.
Who is your business? Powerful brands often go beyond pushing price, selection, or quality. To build a brand that resonates, create a likable “personality” for your mobile enterprise. You may have already identified what that is with a simple tagline or mission statement in your business plan. To develop the idea further, imagine your company as a person. Write down what that person enjoys, from music and TV shows to phrases and clothes. This simple exercise can provide insights that you can apply to all of your branding — background music, signage, promotions, social media interactions — and even how you treat customers. (For example, there are no customers at Target. They’re guests.)
Find your genuine voice. Technology has opened the doors of branding wide open for mobile businesses. Many free tools can be used to build existing customer relationships and reach new audiences. Once you’ve identified your brand personality, use its voice consistently in every “conversation,” from blog posts to Twitter updates and Google+ recommendations. A brand voice that is authentic and consistent resonates with customers over time. People connect with meaningful voices — and tune out posers just as quickly.
Deliver on your brand’s promise. Think about what entices customers to buy from you, no matter where you are. Develop a one-of-a-kind service or product that you can provide, consistently, no matter what. For example, a traveling fitness instructor who attracts clients with pumping music and a sweat-producing workout could deliver a consistent brand experience anywhere, but only with a sophisticated sound system and a climate-controlled indoor space. The same class taught outdoors in the pouring rain or blazing-hot sun may result in a different, disappointing customer experience. Make sure your brand delivers on its promises every time.
Hire people who share your vision. Without the community or resources that a physical location provides, your mobile business’s success may rely heavily on your reputation and interaction with customers. Make sure your employees embrace your company’s mission and “wear it” for the world to experience. If they’re just there to make a quick buck, you’ll never build a solid brand.
