Startups are by definition always evolving. There’s so much to think about, so much to implement, so much to revise and rework.
Often, the brand is regarded as something quite far down on the list of priorities.
But then, in the midst of all the sprinting and releases, you start to notice… something isn’t quite right.
Team members aren’t seeing eye-to-eye on structural topics.
Communication materials are made on the fly and feel like they come from a different company each time.
Customers call and say your company name wrong more than they do right.
Sound familiar?
“Well, maybe it’s time to define this brand after all,” is something most founders will come around to saying to us. Oh yes… we’re With Company the guys and gals who helped transform JOBBOX.io to Landing.jobs btw.
The truth is, brand strategy is as important (if not more) for startups than it is for bigger, more established companies. After all, they’ve got benefits of scale and process and big budgets and whatnot behind them.
A brand provides minimum viable clarity.
Tech startups in particular employ the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) concept, made popular by Eric Ries in The Lean Start-Up, to test product hypotheses with minimal resources. So if you’re familiar with this approach for product design, you’ll be pleased to hear that you can apply a similar concept to branding.
The core elements of a successful brand are vision, values, key messages, attributes, stories and taglines. At With Company, we call these combined elements the “brand self”.
The framework we use helps you figure out:
• what you stand for — your brand essence
• what you believe in — your defining values
• what people you seek to engage — your target audience(s)
• what distinguishes you — your key differentiators
• what you offer — your overarching experience
• what you say and show — your logo, look, and lines (messaging)
One of the main advantages of branding startups early is that, by creating a “brand self”, you will be setting up a common understanding among partners and the team. The immersive process helps them discuss, discover and align their ideas and motivations.
You’ll strengthen company culture, educating your team on the thought process behind the brand and how to use it. That will explain why they’re on a mission they can believe in. That will inspire their creativity and personal growth. That will give them the ammunition they need to defend and push your startup into new territory.
You’ll develop a clear understanding of why your customers, clients, users and audiences really need you, and just how your products and services can and do affect their lives.
You’ll figure out what you are, what you aren’t. What you’re for and what you’re against. This is the kind of clarity you’ll need to stay on the right track, even if that path twists and turns and pivots over time.
Brand strategy isn’t static; it’s as dynamic as the rest of your business.
It helps you to make faster and better decisions that move the business forward. It’s a platform that can deal with the unpredictability of the real world and your own business.
“If you want your startup to succeed, consider devoting efforts to branding at the earliest stage of your venture. Branding is the bridge to close the gap between your startup and your audiences… so you can be a part of the 25% that succeed.”
– Dr. Alexander Haldemann, CEO of MetaDesign
Smart guy, Dr. Alex. I mean, think about it, your brand is the first impression that stands between a stranger becoming a customer. You often don’t get a second chance.
Want to know more about the importance of a brand for startups and our framework? Give us a call:+351917441524
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