According to the traditional definition: a brand<\/b> is a name or image associated with a company or business. This could be in the form of a logo, a catchy slogan, or the name of your company. Branding<\/b> comes in when you market your brand to the world with the goal of making the logo, slogan, or name, synonymous with your service. In other words, branding creates brand recognition.<\/p>\n
Of course, this is all simple and good in writing. But in reality, branding is hard to define<\/b>. Jeff Bezos, Founder, and CEO of Amazon <\/a>sums it up as:<\/p>\n \u201cYour brand is what people say about you when you\u2019re not in the room.\u201d <\/i><\/p>\n \u00a0– Jeff Bezos, Founder, and CEO of Amazon<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n A common misconception is that branding concerns only the logo. In actuality, that\u2019s only part of the story. A logo may be your visual identity, but keep in mind visual identity is only part of branding<\/b>.<\/p>\n Visual Identity <\/b>or visual branding<\/b> covers only the imaged aspects of your brand, such as your logo, your company colors, and your social media display pictures.<\/p>\n Beyond the visual components, your brand is also what people think of <\/b>when they see your logo or hear your name. It\u2019s consistency in how you present your school. This includes:<\/p>\n As an example of effective branding with a good visual identity, let\u2019s look to one of the best branding campaigns of the modern era: Nike. Their visual identity is their iconic \u201cswoosh\u201d logo, known to practically everyone in the world. On top of that, they also have their \u201cJust Do It\u201d slogan and their wide array of commercials with professional athletes and<\/i> everyday people.<\/p>\n Just because your music school doesn\u2019t have the same marketing budget as Nike (at the moment), doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t reap the benefits from building a solid brand.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Their combination of visual and overall consistency in their \u201cJust Do It\u201d campaign<\/a> was the trailblazer that boosted Nike\u2019s portion of the North American athletic shoe business share from 18% to 43% from 1988 to 1998. Clearly, branding makes a difference.<\/p>\n Of course, your music school doesn\u2019t have the same marketing budget as Nike (at the moment). But that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t reap the benefits from building a solid brand.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s take a look at the many benefits of building a brand:<\/p>\n Having a solid brand will give your music school market credibility. When done right, effective branding will make trust and integrity synonymous with your business.<\/p>\n Part of curating a good brand reputation is to maintain your objectives and oversee your rapport in your community. This is everything from the type of classes you offer, to the way your instructors interact with students, to managing reviews of your school on your website and social media. A positive reputation will also lead to more student referrals and community acknowledgment.<\/p>\n Tip: Using a software management system<\/a> to help you manage your online reviews is an easy way to take more off your plate. Look for one with Google verification so your business can show up on your Google My Business Listing<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n People tend to go with schools they are familiar with. This means if your brand is easy to recognize and consistent in service and quality, people will choose you and recommend you to their friends and family.<\/p>\n Most humans are empathetic to some degree, and in business, this applies by using emotion to sell a service. In other words, if you can get people to connect with your music school emotionally, you will get more students and build a better reputation (see, it\u2019s all connected!).<\/p>\n To make genuine connections with your target audience, first, you have to define your brand (we\u2019ll talk more about how to do that later, so keep on reading). When you share the same values and beliefs as your customers, that\u2019s when you create emotional resonance.<\/p>\n Branding sets a standard of expectations for more than just your customers. A good brand will also give your employees a purpose. What are you working for? Why do you do what you do?<\/p>\n Think of a brand as your company\u2019s guiding star. It can give you direction, and remind you of your values and focus. When done right, branding can help businesses maintain expectations and exceed them.<\/p>\n Having a solid focus will also aid you in marketing to your prospective students. It delivers a clear message that sets you apart from the crowd.<\/p>\n Having a solid brand inspires loyalty in your students and your staff by giving them something to stand behind and be proud of.<\/p>\n Students will stay if they find value in your school, and part of that is feeling like they belong. If your school has a good reputation, strong focus on the craft, and emotional resonance, your students wouldn\u2019t want to go anywhere else.<\/p>\n And similarly, your staff want to work for a company they believe in. They want to teach in a space that they connect with, and a huge part of that is to belong to a school with a clear focus.<\/p>\n In short, all of these advantages are connected.<\/p>\n By now the advantages are obvious, so it\u2019s time to delve into that \u201ccoherent plan\u201d I mentioned earlier.<\/p>\n Here are the steps on how to build a brand:<\/p>\n Before you can market your brand, you have to have a clear idea of what it is. To define it, ask yourself:<\/p>\n What service are we offering?<\/b><\/p>\n This is the most basic question, but it\u2019s also the most important. Do you offer group classes? Do you provide one-on-one coaching sessions? Do you go to your students or do they come to you? Having the answers to these questions clearly defined in your mind is the first step to creating a brand.<\/p>\n What sets our music school apart from the others?<\/b><\/p>\n Now think about what makes you special. This isn\u2019t the time to be modest. Do you boast the best music instructors in the city? (Or perhaps, country?) Do a significant amount of your students go on to prosper in musical careers? Do you have a high student satisfaction rate? Knowing this will guide you in targeting your branding strategy once you start marketing.<\/p>\n What are our values?<\/b><\/p>\n Come up with your objective and mission statement. In other words, figure out what you are trying to do. Do you want to inspire the love of music in children? Do you want to instill lifelong skills? Or do you want to be the best school for professional musicians? Having a clear objective will help you focus your branding and aid you in the creation of your logo and slogan.<\/p>\n Who are our target audiences? <\/b><\/p>\n Do you teach primarily beginners or seasoned pros? Do you offer classes for small children or teens or adults? You may want to be a one size fits all school, but keep in mind if you are specific, you can stand out from the competition and laser focus your branding strategy.<\/p>\n The next step is to create what the majority first think of when it comes to branding: your visual identity.<\/p>\n Create your music school logo and set your school colors, and any other symbols that are significant to you, and stick with it. These should be posted everywhere, on your website, on your social media, on every sheet music you hand out, and on your music school app<\/a>.<\/p>\n This is the next step after visual branding.<\/p>\n Start by creating your slogan. Another way to think of it a slogan is as your music school motto. Make it short and catchy, upbeat and positive. Think of Nike\u2019s \u201cJust Do It!\u201d.<\/p>\n Beyond your slogan, your brand voice also extends to how you communicate with your customers and potential leads. Are you professional or friendly? Relatable or prestigious? This is when knowing your target audience can come in handy.<\/p>\n For instance, if you mainly teach newcomers and young children, a friendly and relatable approach is best. On the other hand, if your roster is filled with seasoned pros, a professional and upscale tone may work better in your favor.<\/p>\n Set a clear voice and stick with it, be consistent on blogs, social media posts, and press releases. Soon enough, your brand voice will become synonymous with your music school. And that\u2019s exactly what branding is.<\/p>\n Now that you have your visual identity and company voice down pat, it\u2019s time to coordinate and integrate it into everything. This means coordinating your brand name and logo across all sites, social media accounts, merchandise, and events. Coordination may take a little extra work, but it will do wonders by allowing easier discovery of your business.<\/p>\n Tip: Keep the same profile photo for all social media sites to maintain consistency and to help your customers find you easier.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n A good example of brand coordination is WellnessLiving<\/a> customer ABC Academy of Music<\/a> in Toronto, Canada. Their visual identity, including logo and \u201cStudent of the Week\u201d features, are consistent on all social media platforms such as Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a>, which allows for easy discovery and identification of their music school.<\/p>\n Integrate your brand into everything you do, from how you advertise your business to how you treat your students. Stay true to your values and stay focused on your objectives. This is where consistency is key.<\/p>\n![\"music](\"\/knowledge-sharing\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Ultimate-Branding-Guide-For-Music-Schools-teens.jpg\")
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Why Build a Brand?<\/b><\/h2>\n
Branding can Help you Build a Good Reputation<\/h3>\n
Branding Gives You Recognition<\/h3>\n
Branding Leads to Emotional Connections<\/h3>\n
![\"music](\"\/knowledge-sharing\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Ultimate-Branding-Guide-For-Music-Schools-guitar.jpg\")
Branding gives your business focus<\/h3>\n
Branding Creates Loyalty<\/h3>\n
So How Do I Build a Brand? <\/b><\/h2>\n
1. Start by Defining it<\/h3>\n
2. Make Your Visual Brand<\/h3>\n
3. Establish Your Brand Voice<\/h3>\n
4. Coordinate & Integrate<\/h3>\n
5. Live up to your Brand<\/h3>\n
![\"music](\"\/knowledge-sharing\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Ultimate-Branding-Guide-For-Music-Schools-kids.jpg\")