When starting a home baking business you want to create a strong brand image from the beginning. Now the first thing that might come to mind for you might be your name and logo, but there is so much more to a strong brand identity than just that. Let’s jump into how to create a strong brand image for your home baking business.
What is a brand image:
Branding is the first thing I mention to focus on when starting your home baking business (check out the article here). I say to do this first because it is going to create a map for every step you take in your business in the future.
So if a brand is more than a name and a logo what is it?
Imagine you’re in some crazy movie where people disappear for 30 years and then show up out of nowhere, Capitan America is unfrozen (that’s what happened right?). You get the idea.
This person has no idea about modern American life. Now think of how you would explain these companies to those people.
What kind of feelings do you get when you look at them?
What kind of person do you associate with those brands?
What do the people that use these brands value?
All of these brands while in the same industry as each other aren’t really competing with each other because their target demographic is so different. A soccer mom buying a van is not interested in buying a mustang.
Their brand is what created this stark difference.
A brand is the overall feeling a customer gets when they interact with your company.
A strong brand increases customer loyalty.
People become loyal to strong brands. For example, I am a target shopper. Walmart is around the corner, but Target is on the other side of town.
Yet, I still drive across town to go to Target. Strong brands build strong connections!
People will pay more for a branded product than a non branded
My husband and I always check a little hidden section of our grocery store for sale items. (it’s crazy what you will find there!) He came home the other day and said he saw a Starbucks cup on sale for $22. He was thinking jeez how much is this cup normally?!
Did Starbucks create a revolutionary cup? Did they create a completely new mind-blowing innovation?
Nope!
They made a cup… with a logo…and they are able to sell it for so much more than an unbranded tumbler. Because they have created a strong brand they are able to sell items for more than the average. People will look past a price tag when the brand connection is strong.
With an established brand it’s easier to launch new products
When you have a strong brand identity people are more likely to trust you. If I walk into Krispy Kreme right now and try their new donut or Crumble’s new cookie flavor, chances are high that it will be good. They have created a strong brand reputation were people trust what they put out. People who loyally visit those places will be the first to try their new products without hesitation.
Where is your brand image reflected?
Your brand identity will be reflected in the products you create
Your marketing material
The captions you write for social media
The way you interact with your customers
Every aspect of the business
Every aspect of your business needs to be tied to your brand identity. This is the best way to create a strong brand image that attracts your ideal customer.
Ex. Dutch bros
My favorite example of this is Dutch Bros coffee. The closest location to me is 40 min in a direction we rarely need to go. But every vacation we go on where there are dutch bros locations we stop there, every day….. at least twice a day. We love it!
Not only is the coffee amazing but their employees carry out their brand image so well. It is day and night from Starbucks.
The employees are fun, energetic, and friendly. They are actually excited to see you and hear about your day. In my own experience that is a stark contrast to Starbucks.
I mean take a look at their website images. These images portray that same feeling I just described.
Their brand image is portrayed in their:
Images
Fonts
Language
Employees
Product names
The music they play at the locations
They have done an amazing job at incorporating their brand into every aspect of the business. Creating this strong brand image allowed them to be a fierce competitor with Starbucks.
Most Dutch Bro’s locations are right across from Starbucks. Every time I am amazed by how long the Dutch Bro’s line is in comparison. Starbucks’ line is usually empty when it is across from a Dutch Bro’s location.
EMPTY!!
Having such a strong polarizing brand allowed them to cut into a market with such a huge competitor and make space for themselves.
Now let’s build a strong brand for your home baking business
Envision your future bakery. Your absolute dream bakery if there were zero limitations and you could have it exactly how you want it.
What is the look of your bakery?
What type of crowd is drawn to your bakery?
What's the vibe?
How would someone else explain your brand to a friend?
Think big picture You want to make sure you create something that is lasting and does not limit you!
Having a brand identity that is close to your heart, your values and your style is going to make it much easier. For example, if you are in general just a warm and cozy person don’t try and start an ultra-luxury brand because you think it will make more money.
Doing this will cause you to come off as disingenuous.
Having your brand be something that you are living every day will make it a million times easier to show up and reflect that brand naturally.
Put a personality to your brand identity
Think of your brand like a person
What does she talk like?
What does she say?
What does she believe in?
What does she do for fun?
What does she wear?
In this case, be as stereotypical as possible. This will help you create a very clear image of your brand and what you stand for. It is better to go with the extreme because even those who connect with that a little with be drawn to it. For example, I am not either of the people described bellow but there are still aspects of both of them that I can connect to.
Example one: Orangic Olivia
Organic Olivia dresses very boho and has an eclectic style. She loves to thrift and revives old clothing.
She drives a Prius and is very cautious of her footprint on the earth.
Her home is full of neutrals and plants creating a natural zen environment.
In her free time, she loves to do yoga, goes to the farmers market and festivals with her friends. She gets her Coachella ticket as soon as they are available!
She only wants to eat things that are healthy for her body. She loves to support restaurants that use locally grown food and eco-friendly packaging. She actually brings her own utensils with her to cut down on one-time-use plastics.
Now in contrast this is Fancy Nancy
She dresses in designer items. Very clean-cut lines. She wears mostly black and neutral colors and no loud patterns.
She drives a luxury Aston Martin. This year's model of course. The deluxe package.
Her house is mostly white with high end fixtures.
She travels to Dubai and Venice for vacation.
On the weekends she loves to go out to eat and the hottest restaurants in town.
Now these two are very different people. Very different!
They all have different values, likes, dislikes, priorities
Having your brand in line with the characteristics of your imaginary person will ATTRACT a specific client demographic. A demographic that is more likely to buy from you, build a strong connection and be loyal to your brand.
Having this image in mind is going to guide you in how to create a brand in your home baking business
Looking at their values well help us make decisions in our business. We want to make sure that out business is line with their values.
Here are some things that would attract our characters to a business:
Organic Olivia
Has a focus on health and where ingredients are sources
Presentation should reflect a minimal boho feel
Boho modern cakes individual desserts that don't
Locally sourced flavors
So she might be drawn to these colors, fonts, and logos. She would like a more casual setting and dialogue with the business as well. In the restaurant there are flyers of local concerts and markets happening in the area. They sell goods made by local artists that give a percentage to charity.
While Fancy Nancy
Luxury experience
High quality ingredients and packaging
Presentation is very important
Would prefer eclairs over cake pops
Exotic flavors
She would be more drawn to this. She expects a more luxurious, classy setting. I am sure the people working there will call her mam or miss. And bring her order out on fine china to her table.
Now it’s your turn
Now you know exactly how to create a brand image for your home baking business! What does your brand look like? Are you ready to create a magnetic brand with loyal clients?