How Can Your Business Be Sure To Build A Better Brand Image

Julie Starr • September 2, 2021



The formula for success in business includes many different elements. However, a strong brand image is more important than most. After all, if you are unable to impress the customers, you will not gain the sales needed to achieve your desired results.

Setting a great first impression will give your brand the perfect foundation to build upon. It opens the door to forming meaningful interactions while also inspiring instant trust. As such, creating a strategy aimed at creating a strong brand image should be deemed essential.

Here are just some of the key features that should appear in that strategy.

 

#1. A Strong Workforce

Human interactions are the key to forming strong business relationships. Crucially, though, the vast majority of client communications will be handled by your employees. As such, making them the brand’s biggest USP should be considered a priority.

It is a process that begins with finding the best candidates for all sales or customer-facing roles . A friendly nature and a positive attitude towards the brand are key traits to consider. Once you have found the right people, you can focus on their sales scripts and selling tools.

Many businesses find that a uniform or dress code is vital too. As long as it ensures that all team members represent the company in the right way, impressing consumers becomes far easier. Without the right workers, the success of other branding elements will be undone.

 

#2. Online Visibility

When thinking about brand image, most business owners jump straight to thoughts of the imagery used. In reality, though, even the best designs and ideas will fail to make an impact if nobody knows of its existence. Visibility brings awareness and increased trust.

Consumers will research brands online, even when dealing with offline challenges. Knowing how to get onto the first page of Google will bring a wealth of rewards. Similarly, a large social media following inspires trust and encourages users to share the brand.

While SEO and search engine rankings are a primary target, you need to know your niche. Getting your brand name seen in the right places is vital. Whether through organic placements or paid services, reaching your demographic is crucial.

 

#3. A Distinct Brand Image

When looking to build a brand, most business owners focus on attractive designs. Logos, shop fronts, color schemes, and web designs can all play a role. In reality, though, it’s not simply a case of building a presentable brand. You must ensure it is a memorable one.

The fact is that most people interact with thousands of brands every month. Most of the interactions are instantly forgotten. Working with a video production company to create powerful visual content that users remember will give you a huge advantage. Embrace it.

Most people need seven touchpoints before converting. The memorable and engaging content that paints your brand in a fun image will give you a far better shot at achieving them. Besides, it’ll enable you to provide far greater insight than a simple poster or leaflet.

 

#4. Green Habits

Customers are now more interested in working with brands that reflect their own views and outlooks on life. This demand has been the driving force behind increased social responsibility from brands. In all sectors and locations. Yours must join the revolution.

Adopting e Making Eco-Friendly Changes to Your Business habits can manifest in many ways. Using better insulation and solar energy are two great options. Teaming up with a greener packaging company will work wonders too. You should also look to reduce your use of plastic and damaging materials.

Unnecessary travel is another cause of added emissions. Finding solutions like shared courier services and partial trucks will have a positive influence. It will impress the customers and employees while removing any personal guilt. perfect.

 

#5. Customer Reviews

Social proof has become an increasingly central ingredient in the recipe for success. Consumers have a greater number of options than ever before but know that all brands will promote themselves as the best. Asking impartial people for advice has become the norm.

The power of recommendation is nothing new, but the approach to finding it has changed. Consumers know that social influencers will only team up with reliable brands. So, your company should be eager to find popular accounts that share a similar audience to yours.

Client testimonials are another key feature to consider. Verified reviews gained through Google, Trustpilot, and other platforms will boost your reputation. The fact that the trustworthy nature will also enhance your SEO presence is merely a bonus.

 

#6. Clear Contact Details

When consumers encounter your brand for the first time, they will look for reasons to avoid using it. While most will accept that mistakes happen, they will not stand for inadequate brand responses. Seeing that you are quick and fair will aid their view of your brand.

All contact details should be clear on the company website, social media channels, and offline settings. Even a small company can use chatbot software and virtual receptionists to stay alert at all times. Crucially, you must show a genuine desire to help in all interactions.

As well as clear contact details, it is advised that you use returns policies, clear delivery details, and policies to your advantage. When you can also prove that their personal data, including payment details, are safe, success is assured.

 

#7. Celebrate Accolades

Nobody has the time to research every brand they use in detail. Even when a consumer plans to analyze shortlisted brands before making a final decision, they need shortcuts to form that list. As a business, then, you must look to prove your value right away.

Your words and branded content help the cause. For the best results, you should showcase awards , association memberships, and other accolades. This shows that you offer a professional service that has previously achieved great things. And can continue to do so.

It’s not arrogance to show pride in your business accomplishments. Not least because it will settle the nerves felt by your prospective leads. While setting a great first impression is only one step en route to success, it is a giant leap to take.

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.