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Five ways to build an authentic brand in 2023
Starting a business is not an easy feat but building an authentic brand may be harder. But it is achievable. An authentic brand will increase engagement and sales as the audience will have built a relationship with the brand and trust it. Here are five ways to build an authentic brand:
1. Be true to yourself
Many business owners and marketers choose to appeal to an audience, but by doing so, they often make choices based on what others want. By staying true to yourself, you will be trustworthy, which is what it takes to build brand authenticity. By being authentic, you can make decisions you trust, which would develop the brand and make it more human and relatable. Believe in your strengths, and always trust your gut!
2. Have passion
If you don’t like the business or believe in it, it will be very difficult to build its authenticity. Without being passionate about the brand, or anything in general, you will not be able to create a real presence that an audience would trust or believe in. Business owners and marketers should not allow issues or slow growth to affect their passion. Building brand authenticity is a challenge and is going to take time, but a strong work ethic and belief in the brand will prove to be fruitful in the long run.
3. Create a brand you would want to buy from
If you are trying to build brand authenticity but would not purchase the product or do not believe in its worth, this will translate throughout the marketing execution. The target audience can tell that the brand is only trying to make money and not trying to make a real human connection. This will decrease engagement and sales. If the target audience can see that the owner, marketer, or brand itself is not using the product or is not invested in it, they will likely not buy it.
4. Be honest
When building a brand or dealing with customers, you should be honest with yourself and follow the route that feels natural. If you always do what you think people want, it will likely not be successful. At the end of the day, a brand aims to tell the customer they need the product or service they’re selling and not have the customer tell the brand how to market their product or service. But a brand will also be able to build authenticity by being honest with its customers. For example, if a customer asks you if the product or service will be beneficial to them and you know it won’t, tell them. This will create a good image and build a trusting relationship with an audience. Even if they do not buy the product or service right now, they might tell people they know about their experience, increasing brand trust and authenticity.
5. Don’t be influenced or pressured
Influence and pressure are not always bad as they may lead to growth, but too much outside influence and pressure from people is bad for brand building. This will often lead to choices made in a rush or with the wrong intentions, damaging brand image. Feedback can be good for growing and improving a brand, but feedback from influences that think they know more about the brand or what’s best for the brand is often detrimental. Brand owners should also be careful of letting other brands’ success influence them. What works for one brand does not always work for another, and the audience will be able to tell if a brand is trying to mirror another similar brand.
The bottom line
Building a brand’s authenticity is a challenge, but it can be done if the intentions behind the brand are true. If you are trying to build a brand’s authenticity and would like to improve your marketing skills, consider the IMM Graduate School. The IMM Graduate School is a leading blended learning institution and the centre of excellence for African marketing, supply chain, and business disciplines. You can choose from different marketing qualifications and short courses to use to improve your brand in the long run.
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