In the midst of an increasingly crowded industry and market, it will be increasingly difficult for a business to survive. The old players are getting stronger by controlling a large part of the market, while the new players are fighting over a small part to survive.
To help your business survive in such a situation, you must have a brand image. By having a brand image, your business and your products will be more easily recognized, leading to increased sales.
However, you might think that branding is an attempt to show the best, not give the best. You may also think that the money for the branding effort should be used to develop better products.
If you still think so, then you are wrong. Let's take a look at what is meant by brand image and why having a positive brand image is important for business.
What Is Brand Image?
Brand image is the views, beliefs, and opinions that people have about your brand or company. Brand image is not only limited to a company but also the company's products. For example, people consider Apple products, such as the iPhone and Macbook, to be premium or high-value products.
Brand image is also generally juxtaposed with brand identity. Both things seem to sound alike even though they are very different.
If brand image is something that is owned by people outside your company, brand identity is something that you or your company owns.
Simply put, brand image is a view or opinion of people, while brand identity is your desire about how your company or product is perceived by others.
From the definition above, you might think that brand image is something that is made up. You might think that trying to build a brand image is an act of tricking consumers about a product.
Isn't a business supposed to offer and be the best rather than appearing to be the best?
If you still think so, you should think again. Brand image is the result of all your business activities, not just marketing. Brand image is also not about appearance alone, but about your business goals.
Not only that, having a strong brand image can help us grow your business. Let's take a look at what a brand image can bring to the table for your business.
• Helps Make First Impressions
In the midst of an increasingly busy industry and market, having a strong and memorable first impression is a strong weapon for all companies.
Large companies are constantly trying to maintain their brand image, while startups are willing to spend large sums of money to let people know and get to know their business and products.
Why is this first impression important?
Because if you don't succeed in attracting a customer at the first meeting, they'll just go to your competitors. If you continue to let other people go to competitors, you certainly won't be able to grow your business.
• Helps Your Business To Be Recognized
Do you have a product that is easily recognizable? For example, you can easily recognize a Coca Cola drink can from afar, or a Nike brand shoe in the middle of a soccer match.
A strong brand image can help your product to be recognized easily like the example above. This is proof that a brand image is not just a logo, slogan, or beautiful words.
Brand image also covers the design and visuals of your product. The more specific the brand image you want to build, the more unique or prominent the design you will produce, which will make it easier for your business or brand to be recognized.
• Helps Organize and Manage Your Business
Having a target for a brand image can also help you determine priorities in your business. For example, if you want to increase your brand image through amazing service, you will prioritize training for customer service or create new strategies for dealing with customers.
By placing your brand image as one of the centers of your business operations, you will continue to focus and strive to not only develop extraordinary products but also a way to stand out in the middle of a busy market.
In the end, you will have amazing products and people will easily recognize and love them.
• Helps Increase Credibility and Trustworthiness
If you consistently make your brand image one of the core of your business, People will often start taking your business seriously.
Gradually, you will become known as one of the senior players who consistently make customers satisfied with extraordinary products and services.
The more often and consistently you develop a strong and positive brand image, the stronger and longer your business will be.
In the end, you have to understand that in this day and age, people no longer buy your products just because of your extraordinary product or your friendly service but also because of the value or beliefs of your business.
That's why you have to build the brand image of your business properly. You have to make sure that the values and beliefs that your company has can emerge and speak through the design of your company's products and services.
In today's digital and internet era, one way to build a brand image is to create a website. Your business website can build a positive brand image through its design, features, and contents.
Let's take a look at some examples of websites of companies that have successfully built their brand image.
• Apple
Who doesn't know this brand? It is so easy to recognize that Apple even has a very strict policy on the use of the apple logo in other companies. This is because Apple doesn't want their brand to be hijacked by other companies.
So what do you think about Apple?
Embrace changes? Revolutionary? Center of excellence? Maybe all of them, and that's what people probably have in mind when they look at Apple products.
Although Apple produces gadgets, Apple positions themselves at the center of perfection. They believe that only by accepting change can humans go further. It just so happens that they produce gadgets that can help people make a better world.
On their website, you can easily browse and buy Apple products. You will also be able to seek help in understanding the product you are interested in. These two things are the essence of an online store to satisfy customers.
• Nice Cream
Image taken from Strikingly user’s website
Nicecream offers an unforgettable ordering and eating ice cream experience.
Their customers can see their ice cream-making process when they order directly at the store. This may sound trivial, but it has helped Nicecream open several branches in American cities.
Their website also offers their customers the convenience of ordering delicious ice creams in a wide variety of choices. Through their website, Nicecream has made it possible for anyone to taste how delicious their ice cream is.
• Isa Catepillan
Image taken from Strikingly user’s website
Isa Catepillan is a clothing designer. She combines feminine qualities with a bond with nature; a combination of modern values with ancient values.
Isa emphasizes ancient and noble values in his clothing designs. She believes women can look charming and extraordinary while still emphasizing authenticity.
Build Your Brand Image With Strikingly
Image taken from Strikingly website
Strikingly is the right website builder to create a website that can build a strong brand image.
You can produce a website with amazing features that look striking. What's more, you can have a website like that without having in-depth knowledge of website creation.
You can easily create your dream website with Strikingly. You just need to choose a template from a collection of ready-to-use templates from Strikingly.
Image taken from Strikingly website
Not only that, you can also find other websites that have been created by other Strikingly users. This will be very helpful when you need inspiration for your business website.
Other than having a great appearance, what features do you need on your website?
To build a brand image as a company with outstanding customer service, you can use the Live Chat feature from Strikingly.
Image taken from Strikingly product
This feature can help you to serve customers who are visiting your website directly. You can also integrate this feature with your desktop or mobile device. That way, you will get a notification every time a customer contacts via the Live Chat feature.
Apart from that, you can also easily start an online shop on your website at Strikingly. You can use the online shop section that has been specially provided by Strikingly.
You will also get amazing features in your online shop. For example, you can easily set up payment methods in your online store. You can accept various types of payments, such as credit cards, Paypal, Wechat, and Alipay, in various currencies.
In addition, you will also easily process your customer orders with Strikingly's Order Management System (OMS). You can arrange shipping as well as shipping costs directly from your website.
Image taken from Strikingly product
To help with your marketing activities, you can use the newsletter feature from Strikingly. With this feature, you can easily provide the latest news about products or promos to your customers.
Lastly, you can easily optimize the SEO of your website at Strikingly. This will greatly affect your website and digital business because the easier it is for people to find you, the greater your chance to build your business brand image.
Those are the things you should know about brand image.
Building a positive brand image doesn't mean you just beautify the outward appearance or face of your business. Instead, you have to have a good business model and outstanding products to build a strong brand image.
Having a strong brand image means that people trust your business well. Surely people will not believe in your business if your business products or services are not good, right?
There are several ways you can build the brand image of your business. First, a good brand image comes from extraordinary service. Then, products that are innovative and have value can help you build a strong brand image.
Apart from these two things, you can build a brand image for your business by creating a website. In this digital era, websites are no stranger to being the face or second home for your business.
With a website, you will make it easier for people to find information about your business. They will also find it easier to learn about your products if interested through your business website.
So, are you ready to build a strong and positive brand image? Start your branding today by creating a website with Strikingly now!