Are you really capitalising on your brand potential? Maintaining a strong, recognisable brand is a must for any business these days. When perception and first impressions are so crucial, your company’s brand needs to reflect positively on the service you offer. We often see many businesses who’s brand management efforts are damaging their image and hindering their long term growth.

Here are some common mistakes we’ve seen, do any of these ring true for your business?

1. Your business cards don’t cut it

Let’s face it, if you’re using a microsoft word or publisher template to design you business cards, or let along printing them yourself, you’re probably not doing it right. A well designed and printed business card that is unique to your business can really stand out and improve your chances with a prospective client or partner. If you’re getting a run of new business cards printed, really think about how yours can be improved. Your chosen supplier should be able to help you achieve a great final design, so ask them for their input.

2. You’re not branding your workwear

If you operate a business with public facing staff or contractors, you’re really missing a trick if you’re not providing branded workwear. Aside from being free advertising, staff in branded uniform contribute to a more professional service and are more trusted by your valued customers. So let them spread the word about your business for you when they’re out doing their thing.

3. You’re printing in house

We’ve all been here; you need something for an early meeting so you press print and send it to your trusty office printer. A few print lines here and there won’t matter once in a while. While this is sometimes unavoidable, make sure your business doesn’t make a habit out of it. Poor quality proposal documents or business collateral don’t make a good impression! Anticipate your needs and plan ahead by making sure you’ve got enough professionally printed materials ready to go. If you’re not making use of a professional print supplier, get one.

4. Your brand isn’t strong enough

We’re not saying you need to be Coca-cola. But it’s important that your brand is strong, consistent and recognisable to your customers and prospects. It doesn’t take an expensive brand refresh to get there either. There are a number of low cost techniques that your business can employ to make the most of what you’ve got. Start with making sure you have a framework in place, centred around a company ‘brand bible’, to ensure that all of your business content and collaterals are in line with one another. Take a look back at what you’ve got out there already and consider renewing anything that isn’t on brand. A good place to start could be your website and social media platforms, followed by your internal and external collaterals. Sniff out those old logos and get your house in order.

5. Your suppliers aren’t working for you

If your existing suppliers simply aren’t cutting it, cut them loose. Naturally, you don’t have the time or expertise to get everything perfect if it’s not the business your in. That’s why your supplier needs to adopt a consultative approach to make sure your business is getting the service it deserves.

We provide a trusted brand management service for businesses of all sizes, ensuring their brand is working for them. Find out more about how we can help you here.