It’s {Day 23} of 31-Days to Build Your Own Creative Business here on Marketing Creativity. If you’re just joining me, you can click here to catch up from Day 1. Let’s talk shop! Today, we’re going to discuss what branding means to your Etsy, craft, or hobby business.
For a handmade business, branding revolves around the logo, shop banner, maker’s profile, and overall professionalism of the website. When the customer asks themselves:
Wait. I’ve never shopped here before. Can I trust this seller?
A strong brand assures them you mean business and alleviates any doubts. A visitor’s first impression of your site should confidently communicate your brand.
Build a strategy
Build a brand strategy that revolves around who you are, what your company’s about, and who your ideal customer is. Everything from where you’ll advertise to how you socialize with your customers to what press you aim for should then match and make sense for your brand.
For example, Marketing Creativity is a brand built for creative businesses that are made of passion and purpose. When I’m working on Marketing Creativity, I tap into that message, and that message alone. I have a Marketing Creativity page on Facebook, and I keep the conversation there business-oriented.
Could you imagine how people might react if I turned up and randomly started talking about dogs? Or gardening? Or the Real Housewives of New Jersey? I am interested in all of the above, but they don’t fit the Marketing Creativity brand. However, I see this mistake made by a lot of new creative businesses. Be sure to keep the conversation relevant to your audience.
Develop your brand
Create a tag line. For my own creative businesses, the Energy Shop’s is “Positive affirmations for your wrist.” Marketing Creativity’s is: “Building a career with your own two hands.” A tag line should encompass the purpose of your business and convey your message. Have fun with this, and play around with different words and phrases until you find one that truly represents your business.
Get a logo. A graphic designer can work with you to develop a logo that represents your brand, or you could create something very simple on your own. A logo helps with brand identity. Think about how powerful the apple is to Mac computers or the swoosh is to Nike. It helps the customer instantly recognize your brand.
* * * If you don’t have a logo yet, tune into tomorrow for a chance to win one! * * *
Adopt your brand’s language. Once you know your creative business’ message, use the language every day. For example, the Energy Shop reflects my spiritual side, and when I send an email to my customers, I go with it. I speak the language to my customers that I know we have in common.
Be authentic. Here’s what: I am both a metaphysical and entrepreneurial spirit. I so deeply believe in things unseen. I believe that we’re on Earth to play and create, and that I was born with an inherent talent to spread that message with my own playing, creating, building, learning, and sharing.
It’s not a gimmick I came up with to make sales, and that’s why it makes so many sales. If your brand or shop isn’t attracting genuinely interested customers, you may have not tapped into your genuine interest yet. And that’s okay. Just keep digging.
That’ll do it for Day 23! Only 8 posts left to take advantage of the sale: As promised and in honor of the 31 days to Build Your Own Creative Business Series, I’m offering my complete business-boosting e-program, Shop Fundamentals ($57) for $31 while it runs! Click here to learn more.
