If you are a budding entrepreneur aiming to evolve your Startup business into a brand, this article is for you! Having a unique idea, a great team, and funds are not enough to grow a Startup. Startup marketing is an entirely different ball game.

In today’s technology-driven market if you are not on the digital landscape you are nowhere. To make a mark in the digital world you can benefit from digital marketing agencies in California working hand in hand to help your startup turn into a brand and sore high.

There are many Startups, who want to outshine but they often don’t know how and where to begin, when it comes to online marketing. In the era of smartphones, tabs, and internet marketing the whole concept of marketing has seen a complete overhaul. There are numerous businesses (corporates to startups) spending time and budget on digital marketing to grow their businesses and customer base. Any kind of online marketing needs planning and tailor-made solutions that fit the business goals. Not all digital marketing strategies offer the same benefit.

Often Startup businesses compete with established brands (with a much lesser budget) who have enough marketing budget to put in and also have a dedicated and loyal customer base.

That’s why many business experts often say – “Build a strong brand, not just business.” A brand will leave a legacy and it always helps to build a brand that’s bigger than you or your idea! Many factors contribute to brand building such as quality, positioning, sincerity, market understanding, consistency, interaction with customers, and others.

Let’s delve into each of these factors: -

What is a brand?

If you ask any digital marketing agency in California their thoughts about- What is a brand? They’d probably explain - brand does not have a definite definition; it means different things to different people.

Father of advertising, David Ogilvy defines it as “The intangible sum of product’s attribute.”

Marty Neumeier says that “A brand is a person’s gut feeling about a product, service, or organization.”

And as per Allan Dib, “A brand is the personality of a business. It's the first thing you think of, or how you feel, when you see a logo or hear its name. In fact, you can use the word “personality” as a direct substitute for “brand” to instantly clarify its meaning.”

All of them are correct, and you can outline your Startup’s brand strategy around these expert suggestions.

Now, let’s discuss the 10 essential ways in which a digital marketing agency can convert your Startup Business into a brand:
1. Discover purpose- Every business needs a purpose and you can discover and define your purpose around these pertinent questions:

Why did you start?

How are you different?

What problems are you solving?

How can you add value to people’s lives?

These questions should be answered loud and clear in all your messages, slogans, taglines, campaigns. It is important to create an impact and value. So, dig deeper, research harder to discover and articulate a clear purpose.

2. Research your competitors- It’s a digital world and the best part is you can see what your competitors are doing differently and how are they doing it better. The purpose is not to imitate but to stay aware. Prepare a competitor analysis sheet which can include:

There consistency with messages and visuals across channels

Quality of their products & services

Social mentions and reviews

Marketing strategies both online and offline

3. Break customs- Think different from conventional themes and ideas which will make you stand out from your counterparts. Make your products unique as per the type of industry you operate in and your target audience. Remember, breaking customs does not mean going overboard. Offer your products and services in a way that compels the target audience to find out more about your business.

Simply be:

Innovative

Bold

Daring

4. Have great designs- As a digital marketing agency based in California, or in any corner of the world we all understand the importance of a good design; logos, brochures, website, business cards, etc. are all essential to show your creativity as a brand/business. You might have a limited marketing budget; hence, you need to find out a smarter way to do these things without compromising on quality.

You can choose a freelancer

Launch a graphic designing contest or logo designing contest

5. Mission statement- Mission statement comes from passion, have you thought about the brand mission? What value does your business provide so that the customer can trust you? The mission statement is essential to define the purpose of existence and build strategies around it.

6. Market your business on various platforms- If you want to create a long-lasting impression, marketing plays a crucial role. Use various digital marketing approaches that are cost-effective and also result-oriented, such as:

Facebook Ads

Instagram Ads

WhatsApp Marketing

Email Marketing

SEO

Display Ads

7. Have a unique brand voice- There are different types of brand voice categories, but mostly it’s around the company’s mission, audience, and type of industry. It can be:

Authoritative

Professional

Conversational

Service-oriented

Informative

Brand voice is also something that your audience resonates with and makes you recognizable among your audience.

8. Listen to your customers- It is an essential aspect of any Startup or established business. Customer feedback helps you stay relevant and grounded in the process of becoming a brand. Never ignore/neglect feedback if you want to become a brand. You can conduct surveys, user testing, or reviews to know what your customers have to say about your products or services, what are they satisfied/dissatisfied with, and where can you improve as a brand. The way you treat your customers can help make or break a brand.

As per a survey by Econsultency on Digital marketing trends, it was found that customer service is the best marketing opportunity. And since marketing affects branding this needs to be addressed with care.

Customers always go back to brands that care for them and provides excellent customer support. So, if you want a startup to become a brand it is essential to ensure that all customers are cared for. A happy customer leads to a stronger brand.

9. Set consistency- This includes Logo design, color palette/scheme, typography, fonts, etc. As a startup that is aiming to build a brand, these factors become very essential. All the major brands like Nike, Adidas, Apple, BMW, Starbucks, etc. still follow distinct and consistent branding, meaning all things associated with it should share similar qualities and appearance. Consistency as a brand boosts the value of the company and strengthens its reputation.

10. Build a long-term relationship- As a Startup, you must aim to build a long-term relationship with your customers. Do not over-commit or raise expectations to impress, rather be honest with your customers and stand true to your brand’s core values. Always remember retaining your customers is essential as a Startup; that’s what builds a brand.

The above-suggested points are a mix of strategies and suggestions gather from the best digital marketing agency in California. They will help you simplify and plan your strategy accordingly, and will eventually help your business take-off and begin its journey as a brand. Do let us know your thoughts and suggestions on how would you suggest converting a Startup Business into a brand?