The concept of branding extends far beyond just a company’s logo, all the way to a business’ core values and the interaction made with customers and suppliers. Particularly in fashion, branding helps to create and maintain the reputation of a company, as well as reflect customers’ perception of the organisation. Furthermore, it allows entrepreneurs to build strong loyalties among employees and create a sense of ownership for the brand. Here are some of the basic fashion branding techniques that can be employed by start-ups to accelerate their business growth.
Creation – Creating a brand will require you to chart out the brand values, through which you can portray brand strength, high-quality customer service and innovation. The brand values should not only be in line with your customers’ requirements but also the market you are entering. Besides focusing on the price and performance, start-ups should also be able to understand what drives their customers and what makes them buy certain items. In the process of creating a fashion brand, start-ups should ask existing customers what they like about doing business with you. Asking potential customers what they look for when making buying decisions can give entrepreneurs useful information to help develop their business and brand.
Building – Building your brand will require you to focus on what your target market wants and how you will work to meet customer needs. Customers should also be made aware of every point of contact that they can have with you that may include phone calls, letters or emails. In order to build your brand efficiently, it is essential for you to consistently communicate the brand values to your customers. After having defined your brand values and your customers’ needs, you will need to focus on areas such as:
- Brand name;
- Names of products or services;
- Slogan;
- Brand logo;
- Style and quality of items;
- Product pricing and packaging;
- Business premises;
- Brand advertising;
- The hiring of employees;
- Designing the company’s website.
Managing – It is important to pay close attention to who is hired during the building of a brand. These employees will play a crucial part in managing your brand because as their work ethic can have a powerful impact on the customers’ perception of your business. Making your employees believe in the purpose of your brand will motivate them to deal with colleagues and customers effectively. Additionally, setting up a suggestion scheme or taking the time to discuss the brand and its performance on a regular basis can enhance work productivity among employees.
Reviewing – Reviewing a brand involves taking regular feedback from satisfied customers to check that your business is consistently delivering its promises, which should be in alignment with brand values. By consulting your customers through surveys, suppliers and employees can use this data to provide a broader perception of your brand. This reviewing process can result in growth opportunities which will help your business expand.
Budgeting – Maintaining a budget is essential for the running of a successful brand, which can allow you to successfully deliver products and services to customers. Budgeting involves prioritising the expenditure of your branding to ensure that the brand’s purpose is efficiently delivered and brand expectations are met.
If you want to make your business stand out in the competitive market, then pursuing a fashion branding programme can help you acquire the right skills. Fashion branding courses will equip your with a wide range of creative and technical skills that can help you build your own company in the fashion or textile industry. Enrol into an HNC/D in Fashion and Textiles undergraduate course today to expand your design skills into real-time practice.