How to create a successful brand
Published
21st Jul 2008
by sophieh
Thinking of branching out and launching your own product range?
Ratan Daryani, co-founder of Virgin Cosmetics and founder of Flint Edge male grooming products, gives his top tips on creating a brand.
- Make sure you research the market you intend to enter
Be clear about your product range, its price points and your unique selling points. Are you sure there is a gap in the market for your range and, just as importantly, how much potential does this gap offer? - Find a good product supplier who can provide you a complete all-in-one service
There are product development, trading standards, safety and regulatory requirements to be met to ensure your products are of a high standard and can be retailed. Much of this can be very technical, so if you are not familiar with all these issues, leave it to the experts. - Pick an appropriate name for the brand
It can be appropriate by being relevant to your products, yourself, or just a 'cool' name, but ensure you have the name checked by lawyers. You don't want to be sued for using someone else's trademark. Also, get the web domain name for your brand name. Once you have selected your brand name, visit a lawyer and get it registered. Good names go quickly. - Employ creative and experienced designers for packaging, web and marketing materials
They need to be experienced across various media as some designs may work on paper but not on screen or packaging, or vice versa. - Before you start, be clear on how you intend to market your products
You will need to build awareness of both your brand and products. This can be an expensive and a time-consuming process so be prepared for the long haul. - Good customer service is vital
Devise an operation to handle customer queries and returns, process orders quickly and deal with any general trading issues that arise on a daily basis. - Remain optimistic
It's worth remembering that there will be good days and bad days as you set up a brand and you will always be remembered by how you handle those bad days. It's important to stay upbeat and focused even when things go wrong because success is just around the
