“Brand” is often defined as a name, symbol, or design that identifies or differentiates a product from other products. Setting yourself and your business apart in a wedding market that becomes more and more competitive every day, can make or break your business. Know how to break apart the elements of a brand and personalize it—making it unique to you and the reflection of your business.
Elements of a Brand
Chances are you have never looked at the key elements that define a brand, so let’s break it down.
Brand Purpose – Why do you do what you do?
Brand Positioning – What makes you unique in a cluttered marketplace?
Brand Promise – What is the value you are offering your clients?
Brand Personality – Are you a luxury brand, playful and fun, or calming and reassuring?
Brand Expression – What do your logo, website, and collateral say about your brand?
Unless you take the time to define these items and personalize them to express your values and personality, your clients will determine your brand for you.
Brand Purpose
When I created my wedding planning company, couples of the ‘food network’ generation was tired of banquet food and wanted to plan a wedding that reflected their personalities and love of food. With a background as a classically trained chef and years of working in catering, I was able to assist them in having the wedding of their dreams. Also, being one of the only men planning weddings in the Philadelphia area became part of my brand positioning.
Brand Promise
As a business, we coined a package called “Simple, Elegant, and Stress-Free.” As a result, that became our company promise. Nearly every couple that walked in the door told us they wanted a wedding that was simple, elegant, and stress-free. Therefore, this became a defining practice in the way we planned weddings.
Brand Personality
As a team, we were a mix of calming, reassuring, and fun. We became known for being direct and getting the job done. Over time, our clients’ budgets increased and we created higher-end weddings. But, we never claimed to be a “luxury brand.” We stuck to our brand personality and were consistent on how we wanted to be perceived by potential clients.
Brand Expression
Above all, our brand expression is where we stood out the most. In choosing the name, The Queen of Hearts Wedding Consultants, we pushed our brand expression to the limits. Several companies would use their owners’ names as a company title. As a result, their names blended together and all sounded the same. We bucked the wedding white and soft pastels for a bright red website and collateral. I dressed in red shirts and the team added a red accessory to their basic black slacks and blouse. Even more noteworthy than our pops of red, we would all add a little bling by wearing a vintage heart or crown pin to reflect our company name. We became known for being bold. But, most importantly, we created weddings that reflected our couples’ personalities and added in fun, unique details.
In conclusion, whether you’re creating a new business from scratch or updating your current company brand, ask yourself the following to help define who you are and how you want your business to be perceived:
- What does your brand say about you?
- Do potential clients and wedding pros you align yourself with know what your brand is and what you stand for?
- Is your brand consistent?
- Does it reflect your personality?
- Are you your brand?
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