Get better results for your small business with a mini brand health check
How to determine and get better results for your small business with a mini brand health check.
A brand health check is a great way for you to see the big picture.
What we know is your brand is the personality that connects your customers to your products or services. Just like going to the doctor your brand sometimes needs regular check-ups to find out what is going on and how you can find solutions so your business can thrive.
Whilst a full-scale brand audit involves an in-depth examination of every part of your brand, a mini-brand health check is more streamlined. It’s about diving into the key aspects that can make or break your brand. And it’s a quicker more accessible tool for busy business owners vs. running a whole brand audit.
What are some of the signs your brand may need some TLC
– Your brand isn’t grabbing the attention it once did.
– Inconsistencies across various platforms.
– Decreased growth and engagement.
If your social media posts are not getting as much attention or engagement or your website traffic has taken a dip (this could be the latest Google update), but maybe not. However, by doing a brand health check-up (or mini brand audit), you can determine what the issues are and do something about it.
It could be that your competitors seem to be forging ahead, or your visual identity could do with a bit of a refresh. It could also be that your brand’s messaging and visual branding are inconsistent.
If this is what you are seeing, then you must investigate how to improve your brand so that it stands tall.
Why it’s important to run a mini brand health check?
Markets and technology are changing all the time, so your brand must adapt so it can stay competitive.
By reviewing consumer preferences, trends, and competitors regularly, you will see where you sit and what you need to do to stay relevant to keep up with what’s going on.
Most brands are changing to keep up with AI and other technological changes to stay at the forefront of technology. Have you noticed if the software you used when you started your business has changed as well?
Brand consistency
When talking about brand consistency, you want your customers or potential customers to be clear about what you do. If the message is consistent then your brand will continue to build trust.
Message consistency should be the same across all platforms so there is no confusion. Consistency also strengthens the brand narrative. However, it’s not just your messaging, visually your brand should be consistent as well – logos, colours, and design elements.
Most of the brands we know, and love have consistent brand visuals and messaging. E.g. Apple, Coke, McDonald’s.
“A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn a reputation by trying to do hard things well. “ – Jeff Bezos.
Your customers
The way your customers see your brand influences whether they will keep coming back. A mini brand health check helps you to understand how they feel about your brand. It helps you to identify the areas where you can improve so you can provide great customer service.
This is why customer feedback is so important. It’s where you find out whether your product, customer service or other issues can be improved and refined.
It also helps your business find opportunities to build your brand through storytelling. Reinforce the purpose of your brand to create a better bond with your customers.
Growth
Once you’ve dug deep, found the issues, and put steps in place for brand improvements, then you can look at how your brand can grow.
“If you don’t give the market the story to talk about, they’ll define your brand’s story for you.” David Brier.
The benefits
Find hidden strengths.
Identify potential weaknesses.
See opportunities for improvement.
Proactive problem-solving.
Build a foundation for long-term success.
You don’t need to find and fix all the problems with your brand, but what it will do is give you a look at the big picture. When you see the big picture, you can unlock the full potential of your brand to position it for growth and sustained success.
Getting started with your mini brand health check:
Visual Identity
It’s important to ensure that your brand’s visual elements are consistent across all platforms. This includes your logo, brand colours and all other design elements. Your visual identity ensures instant recognition of your brand. E.g. McDonald’s, we all know those golden arches.
Messaging
Review your taglines, mission statement and your brand messaging. Unless your goals have changed, your brand messaging should be aligned. E.g. McDonald’s slogan – “I’m lovin’ it” launched back in 2003 and is still going strong.
If you haven’t set up these brand elements, now is a good time to start – download the FREE brand starter guide.
Online presence
To provide a good customer experience your website, social media and other touchpoints should be up-to-date and consistent. Your customers should be clear about your purpose, messaging, and overall brand.
What are your competitors up to?
Look at what your competitors are doing and identify the areas where your business can stand out from the competition. Take the steps needed to move your brand forward.
Customer feedback
This data is gold. Look at customer reviews and feedback to find out what people are saying about your brand. Find the common issues that need addressing and start tweaking. Remember, you don’t need to fix everything at once.
Metrics (analytics)
Review your metrics – your website traffic, social media engagement and sales data. Look at it on a monthly as well as a yearly basis. Monthly so you can make small tweaks and yearly so you can see the overall brand success (not just monetarily).
Conclusion
A mini brand health check is about making small strategic adjustments that align with your business goals, it’s not about overhauling your whole brand. It’s a good idea to perform a health check yearly so you can ensure your brand remains relevant and resilient. Put it in the diary as a yearly event!
It’s better to have a brand health check regularly instead of getting to a crisis management situation.