5 Experts Share Their Top Branding Tips for 2020

Branding yourself or a business, which increasingly goes hand in hand, is essential in attracting more customers or finding new opportunities. But it can be hard to tell if you’re getting it right, especially as the landscape shifts.

For this Strategy post, Inverse reached out to five branding experts to seek their advice for 2020. Here's what they told us about avoid jargon, consistency, what others say about you, and more.

Mel Carson, Founder and CEO of Delightful Communications

“So few leaders are able to succinctly articulate what it is they do and who they do it for without slipping into meaningless PR jargon, so our top branding tip for 2020 is for executives and leaders to shine a human light on their product or service by focusing on the what and who for, coupled with why someone should trust you and your company over anyone else.”

Safia Sattaur, Business Coach and Marketing Strategist

“Be sure you're congruent not just with the aesthetic (colors, fonts, etc.) but more importantly your message. A huge part of your brand is your message and what you believe in and stand for, especially if it’s a personal brand. As such, you want to be sure that message is consistent across all of your marketing.”

Pete Canalichio, Author and Brand Strategist

“My branding tip comes from a point that I picked up from Pastor Jeff Henderson last week. He shared: ‘A business is what customers tell other customers it is. So, give them a reason to advocate for you.’ My tip: Flip the script. Instead of (always) telling your customers about yourself, advocate (authentically and purposefully) on their behalf. Tell the world about them. Not only will they be touched, they will also be thankful. In turn and naturally, they will become your advocates, the highest place a brand can reside in the minds of its customers/fans/enthusiasts.”

Geeta Nadkarni, Business Coach at impactwithinfluence.com

"If you want to stand out in a crowded space without needing a huge ad budget, the one thing to really hone is your understanding of your ideal buyer's pain. More than any website, logo or branding, it is your willingness to truly see them as they are that will win you their business."

Jim Joseph, Global President at Burson Cohn & Wolfe and author

“We are going into an election cycle this year and it's important for brands to be conscious of their consumers' thoughts on social issues. While it may not be necessary to take a stand on those issues (although many times it is), it is vitally important to know what's on your consumers' minds and be sensitive toward the environment. We are in a highly divided time in our culture, so brands have to be careful navigating the landscape.”