Blog Post: What is Brand Image? Hint: You Do It Every Day

Anyone else remember their first day of middle school? 

Whether the outfit you chose to show up in with was borderline satanic, Yacht-ready, or as inconspicuously neutral as possible, you determined your brand image then and there. 

Defining Your Brand Image

Your brand image is how you are perceived to the rest of the world. If you are a normal human being, with a healthy dose of insecurity and fear of judgement, you probably think about your brand image all the time. You think about it when you dress for an interview, when you choose a cover photo for your Facebook page, and when you slap a bumper sticker on the back of your car. Even if that bumper sticker proclaims “I like cats. They taste like chicken,” you are making a statement about yourself.  

Brand image is the exact same thing when applied to your business. It’s the way you dress your Instagram, it’s the cover photo on your Facebook page, it’s the banner you slap at the top of your site. Even if it reads, “I like cats. They taste like chicken,” you are making a very clear (albeit strange) statement about your business. 

Here’s what you intuitively know about brand image: 

1. You know what you like, and you know what you don’t like. 

2. You make choices that are based on how your target audience will perceive you: whether it’s your boss, your friends, or a hot date. 

3. You know that first impressions are lasting. 

How to apply what you already know about brand image to developing your business’s brand:

1. Make choices that speak to you.

You most likely started your business, because you noticed that no one was offering what you wanted the way you wanted it. In that sense, it’s likely you are your # 1 customer, so what speaks to you will likely speak to the customers seeking what you have to offer.

2. Make choices that speak to your target audience.

Figure this stuff out from the get go. Use analytics. Use common sense. Figure out who you’re targeting and craft an image that speaks to them. 

3. First impressions are critical.

The first impressions of your business are your name, your logo, your homepage, your tagline, and your business card. Never compromise on those essentials.

Considering we brand ourselves everyday, this branding stuff should be a little bit easier, right? 

In theory, yes. But remember how long it took you to pick that first-day-of-school outfit? And imagine how much longer it would take if you needed to get that outfit approved by a team of partners, each with a different vision of your future (and you thought getting those ripped jeans past mom was tough enough!). 

Your brand image can be a million different things.

It can be the weird skater kid, the crunchy Birkenstocks guy, or the girl wobbling under a thousand books and a clarinet. Making these decisions can slow down the launch of your business, and perhaps, set you up for the devastating truths of unpopularity.

Working with a branding team or expert can give you the unbiased guidance you need to make the right brand image choices. Sometimes, it helps to have a second, wisened, objective opinion. Think of it this way: wouldn’t it have been nice if someone told you NOT to wear that powder blue suit to prom?