10 Branding Mistakes that Solopreneurs Make

Building a brand is difficult and time consuming, consequently solopreneurs often fall victim to these common branding mistakes, don’t follow in their footsteps.

Photo by Danielle MacInnes on Unsplash

Most solopreneurs don’t give branding the serious consideration that it deserves.

They see it as an activity that they can do during their spare time. However, branding is a genuine necessity in the business world that solopreneurs should focus on.

Research studies have shown that close to eighty percent of consumers purchase from trustworthy brands while 86 percent of consumers report that genuineness is key when choosing the brands that they like and support. 

It can be difficult for solopreneurs to find time to build a trustworthy and authentic brand. However, if you don’t sacrifice, the chances of your business failing will be high.

So, how do go about this without making common branding mistakes?

First, you need to know the branding pitfalls that you should avoid to build a successful business and achieve your goals.

1. Failing to listen to your audience

You shouldn’t rush to spread the word about your business without understanding how to communicate with your customers. Figure out who your target audience is, their hobbies, interests, and the common phrases that they use. For instance, millennials use a lot of modern slang that older audiences cannot understand. Baby boomers, on the other hand, prefer grammatically sound language.

This doesn’t just involve different generations. You need to be specific when determining the likes and dislikes of your audience. For example, millennials who participate in humanitarian activities won’t feel comfortable with sarcastic jibes that connect with those who watch TV shows every day. Remember, branding is all about creating a bond with your audience. Therefore, embrace the language and tone that speaks directly to your audience.

2. Forgetting the logo

Some solopreneurs think that having a quality product and a good business name is enough to leave a permanent mark in the world. However, a logo plays an integral role in building a brand. Logos enable you to create a brand image and spread the word about your organization. It not only separates your business from competitors but also expresses your brand’s personality when done right.

To ensure that your logo gives off an accurate message, think of the emotions evoked by different images, colors, and fonts. Using these elements properly will help you craft a good story. Your logo should be present everywhere your brand is, whether it’s on your website or business cards. Over time, this will help you build your brand and give you an edge over your competitors.

3. Failing to develop a brand voice

Another common pitfall that solopreneurs fall into is to think about the visuals that you put in the world only. While visuals are essential, there are many ways to communicate your brand voice. For example, Virtual Assistants can also play an important role when building your brand image, by using theme as your brand voice to speak directly to your audience. Your brand language needs to be consistent across different platforms such as your website, digital ads, customer service interactions, and marketing materials in print. If you are thinking of bringing a team on board, you should create specific guidelines for your brand image. Your brand language will help in reinforcing your perception of your brand that your audience should have.

4. Failing to seek help

As a solopreneur, you have to wear a lot of hats and it takes years to become a master at building a brand. This is why you need to seek professional help if you don’t know much about branding. For instance, you can probably edit and proofread content on your site. But can you write high-quality articles? Seeking help from paper writing services and AssignmentMasters will save you a lot of time and energy in the long run.

5. Using vague language

Most solopreneurs make the mistake of compelling their audience to engage with the enterprise using vague language. This involves using empty descriptors like “number one”, “most popular” or overusing buzzwords like “dynamic” or “skyrocketing”.

When your audience gets bombarded by messages from different directions, vague words will not grab their attention because you won’t be telling them anything that they haven’t heard before. You should use image and language that is attributed to your enterprise uniquely.

6. Lack of authenticity

While most branding stories focus on storytelling, most of these stories are usually inauthentic. While you can use a predetermined brand language and tone, you should avoid inauthenticity Your brand story should be sincere and emphasize the values that pushed you to launch your business.

7. Avoiding social media

One of the cheapest and powerful outlets for business owners to build their brand is social media platforms. Yet most solopreneurs don’t use these platforms to build their brand. When crafting your brand strategy, remember to allocate enough time and effort to your strategy. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and LinkedIn allow you to access a wider audience and position yourself as an authority in your area of specialization. Stay true to your brand image and always think about your audience before posting something.

8. Lack of consistency

Lack of consistency between the brand’s image and the message conveyed is a common problem that solopreneurs make. You need to have a single cohesive brand image. As you tell your story, you need to connect with your audience emotionally. Therefore, your story needs to be clear and uniform. This way, your audience will know how you communicate and what they should expect from you.

9. Following the trends

Trends are important because they allow solopreneurs to change their pace capture their audience’s attention. However, they don’t help in building a brand. You shouldn’t change your approach every month or year because you can end up ruining the reputation of your business.

10. Reckless rebranding

When things don’t go as you’d planned, most solopreneurs choose to rebrand. However, failing to plan can lead to disaster. You need to exercise caution by creating a strategy before executing it. Figure out whether the new look or voice of your brand will help you get new customers or alienate the existing ones.

Conclusion

When it comes to branding mistakes, there is a lot to consider. You need to think about the language of your audience, brand imagery, and the message that you want to share with the world to keep you on track.