If you want to expand your reach, you need to go beyond advertising and word-of-mouth networking. Creating a strong, professional brand presence for your tech company can set you apart from the crowd. 

Even if you aren’t a marketing pro, you can employ several techniques to enhance your tech branding. This guide will serve as a good starting point for launching your branding efforts. Below, you’ll learn:

  • Why branding is important for technology businesses
  • What successful technical branding looks like
  • How to define your brand personality
  • Tips to maintain effective technical branding

Why branding is important for technology businesses

People looking for a company to provide technical services face many choices. These companies and their service offerings may all look the same to the average person, so it’s only natural for potential customers to narrow their selection by eliminating companies that seem unfocused. That’s where good branding comes in. 

A distinct brand shows that you take your profession seriously. After all, you’ve invested time and resources into creating thoughtful branding. Customers can rightfully expect to benefit from that same attention to detail when you tackle their tech projects. 

Customer behavior in the marketplace supports effective branding investments. And good branding directly impacts a company’s bottom line. 

What successful technical branding looks like

Think about brands that you support and what makes them stand out. Is it a memorable logo, a catchy slogan, or a clever marketing campaign that keeps you coming back? Maybe you like a certain brand because you associate it with excellent customer service or because the company behind the brand invests in causes you care about. 

Like any type of branding, technical branding is not compatible with a one-size-fits-all approach. The best branding tells the story of your business immediately. When someone encounters your brand, they should be able to get a feel for what you do and who you are — as well as what they can expect from you. 

Strong brands offer authenticity, memorability, value, trustworthiness, and authority. 

Authenticity

You’ll have more success if you stay true to your roots. Gimmicks can work in the short term, but if you aren’t able to connect with customers authentically, it will be much more challenging to build a base of loyal and long-term customers. 

Memorability

One of the most important aims of branding is to make a memorable impression on customers. Your goal should be to have people immediately think of your company when they think about your tech specialty. 

Value

What problem can you solve for customers? Show prospective leads what you can do to make their lives better in some way. If you offer a product or service that they won’t find anywhere else, let them know. 

Trustworthiness

Customers need to feel confident in your trustworthiness before they invest their resources. Be very clear about what customers will get from you. Hidden fees or sketchy contracts detract from trustworthiness, while online reviews and transparency help establish it.

technical branding includes how you respond to online reviews
As discussed in Constant Contact’s technology services marketing guide, online reviews can enhance your brand’s trustworthiness.

Authority

Branding is all about shouting from rooftops that your company has the best tech solution out there. Be assertive! You started your business because you have something valuable to offer. When you’re confident, your customers will feel reassured that they’re making a smart financial decision. 

How to define your brand personality

Every brand has a unique story to tell. Sometimes, this can be trickier than it might seem. How can you promote your company through technical branding that feels authentic and appealing? It all starts with defining your brand personality. 

Here are a few approaches you can use to help you zero in on what it is about your brand personality that makes your company appealing. 

Create a brand manifesto

It’s important to have a brand manifesto or mission statement. Your brand identity hinges on that singular message encapsulating your core values. A manifesto can provide insight into what your tech business stands for and should incorporate three elements:

  • Your brand’s values
  • Where your business is going
  • Your impact

Nike’s manifesto incorporates all three elements: “Our purpose is to unite the world through sport to create a healthy planet, active communities, and an equal playing field for all.”

There aren’t any hard and fast rules about developing your brand’s manifesto. You don’t even have to share it publicly. The work you put in will help set you on the path toward creating a strong brand.  

Conduct market research

It could be a worthwhile investment to hire a firm to conduct an investigation into customer perception about your brand. However, you can learn a great deal of valuable information in less structured approaches. 

One of the most straightforward ways to get feedback about your brand is to simply ask around. Invite friends and associates to tell you what they think about when they hear your company name. You can also look over the feedback you’ve received from previous clients. 

To analyze the informal data, you can ask yourself the following:

  • Do you notice any patterns? 
  • Are you surprised by how people seem to perceive your company?
  • Do people’s perceptions match the brand personality you want to convey?

Identify your brand persona

Consider your brand like you would a person. For example, would you describe your brand as:

  • More masculine or more feminine? 
  • Fussy or casual?
  • Analytical or creative?

Imagine how you’d introduce this “person” to someone new. It might feel silly, but this exercise can help clarify your brand personality. The attributes you highlight about your brand are likely the most prominent features your brand offers. 

Tips to maintain effective technical branding

Once you’ve finalized your brand tone, move on to creating brand elements like your logo and other visual content. Keep these tips and guidelines in mind as you work through this process. 

Stay consistent

Consistency is a must with branding. Stick to the same logo, color scheme, and messaging to convey a professional and detailed approach that will attract new clients

Here are some tips for creating consistent brand representation: 

  • Use the same description across all social profiles and online review sites
  • Include your logo everywhere — on social media profiles, email signatures, your website, business cards, and so on
  • Use the same fonts, colors, and styles across all your written and visual content
  • Have all your written content use the same “voice”
technical branding requires consistency across online platforms
Constant Contact’s technology services marketing guide highlights the importance of using the same logos, colors, and fonts across all pages of your website and all your social media accounts.

Know your audience

As you develop your brand, consider how your typical client would respond. Some clients prefer to work with brands that are casual and upbeat. In contrast, others look for tech companies that are more buttoned-down and professional in their communications. 

Strike a balance between attracting new clients and appealing to your current clients. 

Be flexible

You can tweak and replace elements of your technical branding over time. Many brands evolve this way. As you scale or expand into new specialties, you may find that your branding needs to change to match. 

Be open to ideas and changes during the planning stage. Leave room to incorporate feedback. 

Key takeaways

When creating a technical brand identity, take time to develop your brand’s personality and decide which aspects of your company to highlight. Stay consistent, create messaging that appeals to your typical clients, but don’t forget to be flexible as your brand evolves. 

Learn more about technical branding and marketing your tech company by checking out The Download. It’s an online marketing guide specifically created by Constant Contact for professionals in technology services.