How to Build a Brand (Tips, Tools, and Steps to Thrive)

When was the last time you “Venmo’d” a friend instead of saying you’d send money, or told someone you’d “Uber” somewhere instead of booking a ride? That’s the magic of effective brand building. These businesses didn’t just create products — they became verbs in our everyday vocabulary. You might think that this kind of brand recognition is only for the tech giants, but every brand started somewhere.

When building a brand, a great logo and color palette help, but true branding goes beyond visuals. It’s about creating a product that resonates best with your ideal customer and makes them think: finally, someone gets it. And the secret is simple — tell real stories and use the right technology to understand your customers and connect with them on a deeper level. Let’s find out how you can build a brand that’s trustworthy, memorable, and worth recommending.

What we’ll cover:

What is a brand identity?

A brand identity is the strategic mix of visual elements, voice, values, and personality that makes a business immediately recognizable in the marketplace. It’s how a small or medium business (SMB) presents itself to clients, partners, and stakeholders, creating a lasting impression that builds trust and recognition in the industry.

When looking at brand identity in action, it’s more than just design choices at surface level but an overall look and feel of your business communications and presentations at each touchpoint. It exists in your email signatures and proposal documents, the corridors of your office and during meetings with potential customers. Your brand identity shapes how your business is perceived, how you make decisions internally, and what makes your brand stand apart from competitors in ways that matter to your target audience.

Look at Nike’s “Just Do It” mindset, which turns sportswear into a symbol of personal achievement. Even more impressive, Harley-Davidson’s identity inspires such loyalty that fans tattoo its logo. These brands go beyond products — they create experiences, beliefs, and communities that shape culture and help businesses thrive.

Make an unforgettable brand identity

Your brand identity is more than just looks — it’s the heart and soul of your business. It’s what makes customers choose you over competitors, even when they can’t quite explain why.

Your brand’s tonality is the guiding light for all your communication — think of it like your brand’s DNA. It influences how you talk to your customers and even what your Instagram feed looks like. Before you start picking colors and designing logos, lay down the foundation that defines who you are, what you stand for, and why people should care.  

Here’s how to shape a brand identity that’s bold, authentic, and impossible to ignore. 

Mission and vision: This is where your brand’s story begins. Your mission statement expresses your company’s purpose — what you do, whom you serve, and how you add value today. At the same time, your vision statement describes the future you want to create. Being purposeful with these statements help prepare your team and the audience for long-term success. 

Pro tip: begin with market research, keep it simple and to the point, and ensure it’s inspirational for your future. 

Shape your brand with core values: Core values are the foundation of all businesses, influencing its decisions, culture, and how it interacts with customers. Take Salesforce for example, our principles of trust, customer success, and innovation guide everything from product development to customer service. Think about what truly matters to your business and how it aligns with your customers. Be authentic — choose values you’ll stand by, even in tough times. 

Pro tip: Focus on key principles that guide your decisions, shape your culture, build trust, and drive your business strategy.

Develop your unique selling proposition (USP): Your unique selling proposition (USP) should specify the factors that differentiate you from your competitors. To do this, answer the questions. Whom do I serve? What do I do? And, how do I do it? 

Pro tip: Avoid using vague or generic messaging that takes up customers’ time. For example, instead of saying “best customer service” you can say “24/7 dedicated industry-expert support with guaranteed 15-minute response time.” This specificity is what gives your USP strength and credibility.

How to connect with your target audience

Ever wondered how some brands just get you? Like how Spotify’s playlists match your mood perfectly. That’s not magic — they spend time learning what makes their customers tick. They get you because they‌ pay attention.

Think of getting to know your customers like making a new friend. What do they enjoy doing on weekends? Where do they hang out online? What problems do they need help with? Maybe they’re busy parents who need quick, healthy dinner solutions, or remote workers trying to settle into the perfect home office. When you really understand their daily lives, you can create exactly what they need. Soon enough, your customers become your biggest fans, naturally spreading the word about your brand to everyone they know.

• Conduct market research: Do thorough market research to learn more about who your target audience is, what they want, and what interests them. For example, for a fitness brand, the target audience is health-conscious people aged 25-40 looking for performance and style in workout wear.
• Create buyer personas: Creating buyer personas provides deeper insights into customer segments by developing detailed profiles of your ideal customers. These profiles include demographics, pain points, goals, and aspirations, shopping behaviors, and communication preferences. For example, a busy professional in their 30s values convenience, quality, and fitness gear that fits their lifestyle. They shop online for fast shipping and great customer service and prefer direct communication via email and social media.
• Identify audience needs and preferences: It’s important to know who your target audience is, what their needs are, what they’re looking for, and how your products or services can make their lives easier. Engage with customers, track social media, and analyze buying patterns to refine your offerings and craft messaging that connects with your audience.

Creating a visual identity for your brand

A simple truth: Your brand’s visual identity is it’s ‘personality’ and how it shows up to the world. Imagine your brand walking into a room — what would it look like? How does it make people feel? That’s the power of your visual identity.

When it comes to branding, your visual identity is everything. And, as they say, you never get a second chance at first impressions. Your logo, colors, and design choices should tell your story right away, making a lasting impact and creating a meaningful connection.

• Logo design: Create a unique logo that works on any platform and in multiple sizes. Keep it simple, scalable, and practical. Avoid words or complex images, as it will be used in small spaces, like mobile devices. 
• Color palette: Pick colors that align with your brand identity and appeal to your target market. Studies reveal that color can boost brand recognition by as much as 80%. To pick the best colors, try doing some market research or use a Color Hue picker to find shades that really match your brand. 
• Typography: Choose fonts that are readable and fit with your brand identity. Stick to two to three fonts maximum. For some easy, free design help, check out tips from design experts or play around with tools like Canva and Google Docs

Pro tip: You can use marketing automation solutions to ensure that your visual brand elements are consistent across every channel. Keeping logos, fonts, and color palettes in a centralized library allows your marketing team to easily apply these pre-approved assets to emails, ads, and social media posts. 

How to craft strong brand messaging

Now you’re ready to make a real impact. But how do you share your message without coming off as you’re selling something? And, should you write in your own voice, or in your brand’s voice?

Your brand voice is how you speak with your audience. It should sound like you. Whether it’s friendly and casual or professional and authoritative, consistency is key across every channel. From social media to customer emails, your messaging is a chance to show your brand’s true personality and engage with your audience. Let’s dig in.

Set the tone: Create tone guidelines to ensure your brand communicates consistently across all channels. Decide if your brand sounds formal, casual, professional, or playful, depending on the context. When you’re writing, decide what tone ‌your brand conveys. 

Craft your key messaging: Key messages are the means through which you express your USP and differentiators. Use basic, simple statements so your audience can grasp immediately what your core benefits are. Just look at Apple, whose brand is centered around simplicity and innovation. This clarity ensures that all communications convey your brand’s unique value and build trust with your potential customers.

Tell your authentic story: If your goal is to connect with people and create a human connection, storytelling is the answer. Share real stories that are in line with your brand’s mission, values, or customer impact. A great example is Coca-Cola, which has built a narrative around happiness and togetherness, connecting their brand with moments of joy.

Pro tip: With the help of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solutions like Agentforce, you can get to know your customers on a deeper level and craft messages that truly resonate with them. It also makes it easy to share those messages through emails and social media, keeping your brand consistent and connecting with the right people at the perfect time

Create a brand that rules the digital space

Your online presence is your brand’s first impression and first chance to wow potential customers. Whether someone finds you through a Google search or social media, this is your chance to show them who you are and why they should care. Let’s make it count.

Build a reputable brand website: Think of your website as your digital storefront. This is where people come to learn about you. Keep it simple and well-organized. Make sure it’s easy to browse, mobile-responsive and has relevant content for the users. This is your online storefront, so make it as inviting and informative as you can.

If you’re building an online storefront, Commerce for small business can help you create seamless shopping experiences with easy checkout, stunning visuals, and detailed descriptions. It’s designed to simplify your store’s setup and improve ‌customer satisfaction.

Get social: Choose the platforms where your target audience are most active, and consistently post content that mirrors your brand voice. Whether it’s Instagram for visual content, LinkedIn for professional insights, or X (formerly known as Twitter) for quick updates. Stay consistent with tone and style across all channels so people instantly recognize your brand. And be sure not to just post and ghost — engage. Reply to comments, ask questions, and get your audience talking. 

And, AI marketing tools can help you schedule posts, track engagement, and deliver the right message to your audience at the perfect time.

Create content that sparks conversations: Create valuable content that speaks directly to your audience’s needs. Create blogs that solve problems, videos that connect, and podcasts that highlight your expertise and position your brand as a leader in the industry. This helps build trust and positions your brand as a go-to resource for valuable information. Enlist AI’s help to craft personalized, engaging messages by analyzing customer data, making sure your content speaks directly to your audience’s needs.

Grow impactful partnerships: Building partnerships is a great way to speed up growth. You don’t have to go it alone. You can team up with other brands or influencers to reach new audiences. Look for businesses that complement yours, and explore options like guest posts, co-hosting events, or running joint promotions.

Launch press releases: When you’ve got big news, like launching a product, rebranding, or hitting a milestone, don’t keep it to yourself. Press releases are a great way to get media attention and put the spotlight on your brand. Post your press releases on free platforms like PRLog, 1888PressRelease, or Newswire to amplify your reach without the cost.

Give paid ads a try: Paid ads are a great way to expand your brand’s reach. A well-placed ad helps you connect with the right people quickly. Use Google Ads to appear when people search for what you offer, social media ads on platforms like Instagram or Facebook to target specific audiences, or retargeting ads to bring back past visitors. Paid ads can be a powerful tool for growing your brand.

Building a strong brand community

Building a strong brand community is like creating a friendly neighborhood where customers love to hang out. When people feel special and connected to your brand, they naturally want to share their good experiences with others. With the right tools to track and remember customer interactions, you can offer support that makes every customer feel special and leaves a lasting impression. Let’s look at how you can make this happen for your business.

Joining the right networks and communities can do wonders for your business. Consider the LinkedIn community, where professionals exchange ideas and insights, or any number of online groups where like-minded individuals gather. These places are great for you to share knowledge, build relationships, and scale. Trailblazer Community is an amazing space where people learn, share, and collaborate. You can get advice, discover new opportunities, and even form partnerships that help elevate your brand.

Customer service matters a lot in building trust and gaining loyalty. It isn’t simply about fixing problems. It’s about making customers feel heard and appreciated. Ensure the support you provide complements your brand values and remains consistent across all touchpoints.

Sharing real-life customer experiences and testimonials is the most powerful way to create authenticity and trust. When consumers talk about their experiences with your brand, it builds trust and shows real connections with your brand. For example, you could ask them to post pictures of a new product for a chance to win a prize. This creates excitement and proves real people are loving your brand. Reviews help you understand what your customers enjoy, while surveys give deeper insights. Giveaways create buzz and invite more engagement.

How AI can help your brand grow

Building a brand isn’t an easy task. It’s a lot of work, but what if AI could handle the hard part for you? From creating your brand identity or automating marketing and sales, AI helps small businesses work smarter. Whether you’re just launching, scaling or simply looking for a hassle-free solution to engage with your customers, AI makes it all happen without the extra hassle. Here’s how:

Get your branding right from the start with AI

Imagine having a copywriting genius who understands exactly what your customers want. That’s AI for you. It helps in creating the ultimate brand voice, from eye-catching logos to words that make Google smile. 

Use CRM to build, scale, and strengthen your brand

Smart CRM tools, can play a key role in brand building and marketing by providing valuable insights from customer interactions. You gain data-driven insights from customers’ emails, social media activity, and purchase patterns, allowing you to understand their preferences more clearly. This enables you to craft tailored messages and position your product in a way that better meets your customers’ needs.

Use AI-powered marketing to reduce extra work

Remember when marketing was like solving a Rubik’s cube blindfolded? Those days are gone. Thanks to marketing automation, now you can track everything from social media interactions to customer sentiments to make more informed choices about your brand. For example, find out exactly when your posts receive the most engagement and schedule content for those times automatically.

Sell like a pro with an AI-backed online store

Running your store should feel less like hard work and more like magic. Small Business Commerce handles everything from creating a perfect online store to inventory and payments. With AI driven insights, you can analyze trends, predict behaviors, and gain a deeper understanding of your audience. For example, AI can predict which products your audience is likely to buy based on past behavior. It helps track consumer behavior and trends, offering insights on what’s best for your brand.

Set up AI chatbots to help

Chatbots are like having a super-friendly, always-awake assistant on your website. They answer questions lightning-fast, make customers feel special with personalized touches, and gather valuable insights to help your business grow. They also take the load off your customer service team, so everyone’s happier.

Proven tips for building a strong brand

As we’ve learned, authenticity builds trust. Stay true to your brand values and maintain consistency across all touchpoints. A strong, recognizable brand keeps customers engaged ‌and loyal over time.

Here are five proven ‌tips for building a strong brand:

1. Get personal: Use customer data to send personalized messages and recommendations. It’s like having a personal assistant for each of your customers.
2. Max out on AI: Use powerful AI agents like Agentforce to take your customer service to the next level. It helps you manage interactions across different channels, making sure everyone feels heard and valued. By simplifying customer service, you can work more efficiently and build a strong brand reputation.
3. Automate content: Let technology help you create and schedule content. Whether it’s blog posts or social media updates, it can keep your brand active and engaging.
4. Stay social: Keep an eye on what people are saying about your brand on social media. It’s like having a digital ear to the ground, helping you stay in the loop and engage with your audience.
5. Listen and learn: Analyze customer feedback and reviews to understand how people feel about your brand. This can help you make it even better.

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Become a brand building pro

Building a strong brand takes time, but with the right tools, you’ll be on the right path. Smart analytics help you make better decisions, real-time performance tracking keeps you on top of key metrics, and customer feedback drives meaningful improvements. Successful brands grow by adapting while staying true to their values.

Start your journey with Starter Suite today. Looking for more customization? Explore Pro Suite. Already a Salesforce customer? Activate Foundations today to try Agentforce.

AI supported the writers and editors who created this article.