Don’t Overcorrect Your Brand
Should your brand be related to your personality? Absolutely!
Branding ideas are abundant in the world. A lot of the advice you’ll find warns against your brand being too personal. The reason is simple. In the past, many businesses have overdone making their brands about themselves, forgetting their clients altogether. That is the error—forgetting to place clients at the center of your brand. Quality branding does both.
You should consider how the client feels about your brand name, logo, colors, etc., but it is beautiful when the business owner feels connected to their brand. If the messaging is geared toward the client and their needs, a name and logo that also inspires the owner is wise.
Don’t Be Afraid to Standout
This is especially true of service-based businesses. At a recent networking lunch, a local business owner openly admitted he knows several other owners who do excellent work in his field. This is true of all businesses. No matter how wonderful you are, other people are doing good work too! A name and logo that stands out could secure you the job over the other equally good brands. Make it memorable. Think outside the box. Tell a great story!
Meet Drip Ninjas- Mastering the Art of Dry
This is precisely what Shannon Frazer did. She and her fiance had been working with a franchised entity. Shannon and her team desired to make a difference in the restoration field and decided to rebrand themselves, launching their new business outside of a franchise. The brand they strived to create was inspired by their passion for restoration and desire to bring a unique perspective to the field.
To hear Shannon tell it is beautiful. During a casual meeting with their business coach, their coach encouraged them to throw out ideas—don’t overthink it, say it, he urged! Shannon cares deeply about her clients and realizes she often meets them on their worst days. As an avid martial arts student, her mind went to a favorite hobby. And, Drip Ninjas was born!
In a brainstorming frenzy, the team saw the name worked. Their business flies in at a client’s darkest hour and fights the problem. They have mastered the processes needed to restore a home to its previous dry state. Shannon is a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do herself. They even envisioned a mascot that gives out ninja headbands at events.
Shannon remembers waking the following day and doubting their bold decision. Should they really name their serious restoration business Drip Ninjas?
Yes, they should, and the impact has been tremendous!
Branding Should Be Memorable
Restoration, like many trades in the service industry, doesn’t have the benefit of warming up clients. Often, a potential client will think about and research a large purchase. Take a landscaping project as an example. Chances are the customer has been dreaming up how they’d like their yard to look. They’ve asked others whose yards they admire. They spent time on the internet finding inspirational pictures. They slowly decide which company they’ll trust, making the messaging of those brands incredibly impactful. But that is not what a customer does when things go wrong.
Now, consider a busted pipe that floods a room or floor of a home. Does this client have the time to shop around? No, they will go with the company that comes to mind quickly. Memorable naming is a huge advantage now. Unlike the predictably named companies, a memorable, standout name gives a business an advantage in local searches.
Make It True
Drip Ninjas evokes the idea of a hero coming to save the day. The brand wouldn’t work if they didn’t deliver. Branding yourself as a hero raises the bar. The expectation is that your company will come in and care for clients, righting the wrongs.
Shannon’s caring nature rises to this branding challenge.
While I was interviewing her, a client called because his new office space had flooded. Thankfully, we were near the end of the questions because once Shannon knew someone was in need, her focus shifted entirely to them. We ended abruptly, and she rushed off to master the art of dry for another thankful customer.
Remember, an authentic brand is consistent with a customer or potential customer at every touch point. If a company doesn’t successfully do this, it doesn’t have a brand; it has a gimmick. Gimmicks are excellent if you’re trying to make quick money. However, if you want a trustworthy brand that will stand the test of time, you must work to ensure everyone touched by your brand comes away with a similar, positive experience.
Cultivate a Customer Journey that Makes Your Brand Real
We specialize in branding, messaging, and website design at Reify Copywriting. Too often, people think that by branding, we mean logo design alone. The logo design barely scratches the surface of quality branding.
Proper branding is deciding who you will be for clients and ensuring each step of your client journey meets expectations.
We believe in cultivating a brand- not building it. You will grow and change as a brand. Permit yourself to refine as you go.
Next Level Branding Ideas- 5 questions to get you started.
You are like Drip Ninjas- You have a great name. You love your logo. You even have a branded takeaway piece like the Drip Ninja’s headband. What else do you need?
5 Questions to consider:
When would your ideal client reach out to you? Create a branded item that might be present during that time. In the case of Drip Ninjas, clients reach out after damage has occurred in someone’s home. A magnet with their logo that reads, “We hope you never need to call!” and provides their number would be a great choice.
Is there a way to make a branded first impression? Many businesses have electronic forms for interested clients to complete or send appointment reminders. Add a branded touch. Remember, Drip Ninjas meet clients on difficult days. Imagine a client who has just hung up with Drip Ninjas. They know help is on the way, but they’re worried about the damage and all the unknown factors. They get a branded text that says, “Our ninjas are on the way. We know you’re worried about your home. We’ll get there as fast as we can. Here are some common questions we’re asked. See you soon.” with a link to their FAQs page. In difficult situations, people want to do something, and giving them a way to educate themselves will feel like a gift.
What do you want your clients to feel? Intentionally add touch points that will elicit these feelings. Shannon wants Drip Ninjas’ clients to feel taken care of and protected. This could be a small thing like wearing shoe coverings in a person’s home or a more significant act like sending a gift after completing the project.
Are there common problems or awkward moments with clients? Consider questions that come up often and are hard to explain to a client. It could be a step that tends to annoy a client. Create a branded communication tool to prepare your clients for this and make it a positive interaction instead of a potentially negative one. Many restoration projects require a claim on the client's insurance. At times, this process may take work. Imagine how the client would feel if Drip Ninjas provided a checklist for an insurance claim and sent friendly reminders.
Do you and your employees know your brand story? This is not the same as your company’s history. It is the story of how your brand helps your ideal clients win. Work with Reify to build your brand messaging guide and train your employees to tell this story well through words and actions. Shannon embodies the Drip Ninja brand. From her love of martial arts to her caring spirit, she is a hero to many. Many owners and founders do this well because, like Shannon, they love their businesses. Imagine if each one of your employees embodied your brand to a similar degree. If Chick-fil-A can do it, so can you! At Reify, we create messaging guides to help businesses communicate their brand story internally and externally.
Let Drip Ninjas be your inspiration. Do you need to rebrand with a bold approach?
Do you need to think through your client's journey?
Do you need help sifting through ideas and building a plan for 2025?
Reify Copywriting would love to tell you more about our process.
If you need help mastering the art of dry, call the true heroes, Drip Ninjas!
Lindsey Cannon is the co-owner and branding specialist at Reify Copywriting.
She is on a mission to continuously ask, WHAT IF... because most things are possible, and the world needs more creative solutions.
She and Mandy Korey, Reify's Website Designer, are both copywriters. They love to meet hardworking business owners and help them elevate their brands and businesses. Book a Fit Call with Reify to see how they can help you.
Comments