For anyone who owns a bakery, it is important to build a good brand. Branding is important in your bakery because it sets you apart from the other bakeries. However, marketing is equally important to keep it up. Yet, never confuse the both! Here, you will also find out the seven crucial tips on how to create your bakery brand. And, you will understand the difference between marketing and true branding too.
Let’s start!
What is Bakery Branding?
Bakery branding is simply how you market your bakery to the world. It is more than just having a name and a logo to represent it. Branding is the overall image of your bakery and encompasses the visual aspect of your bakery, as well as the customer’s perception of your products. When you decide to brand your bakery, you would like them to feel something when they see or hear it. This means that they are aware of your bakery business and feel comfortable buying from it.
A good brand makes your bakery unique. It tells a story about your business. It tells your story and what you stand for, what you have to offer, and what makes your bakery unique. Branding is not only limited to colors, fonts, packaging, store layout, and style of customer service. In building a strong brand for a bakery, nothing is as small as it cannot be considered.
Bakery Branding vs. Marketing
Many a time, branding and marketing are used interchangeably as if they refer to the same thing. But they are not. Branding is about building your bakery’s image. It is about how you want people to view your bakery. Marketing on the other hand is all about making sure people know about your bakery and getting them to come. Marketing is a process of advertising, using media platforms, and coming up with offers.
Bakery Design Ideas for Branding
Brand identity is very important in the bakery business and design occupies a central position in this process. The right design will make your bakery look good and get people to visit it. Here are some simple ideas you can use to make your bakery brand shine:
- Logo Design: A good logo is the face of your bakery. It should also be easy to identify and comprehend. They come in different designs depending on the theme of your bakery; modern, classic, or rustic.
- Color Scheme: Colors define the atmosphere of your bakery. Light colors such as beige, pink, and light brown are good for creating a warm environment. Bright colors such as yellow or orange may be used to give fun and energy to the environment.
- Signage and Menus: Your signage should be clear and professional. Make sure it matches your logo and color scheme. The same goes for your menus. Use fonts that are easy to read, and keep the design clean and organized.
- Packaging: Don’t forget your packaging. Use custom food boxes with logo and wrappers with your logo on them. This is an easy way to reinforce your brand when customers take your baked goods home.
7 Steps to Build Your Bakery Brand
As you know what bakery branding is now, it is time to discuss how to create the brand from scratch.
1. Define Your Bakery’s Mission
The first thing that you should consider before branding is what your bakery represents. What do you want your bakery to achieve? Is your business more interested in using natural foods or providing exclusive tastes or creating an environment that is suitable for children? Your mission will therefore determine the path that your brand will take.
2. Know Your Audience
You have to know your customers. Are they families, working people or students? When you understand your audience, it becomes easier to align the branding to the audience’s tastes and preferences. If you are targeting families, you might like your brand to be warm and inviting. If your audience consists of business people, you may decide to emphasize the speed of service and the type of packaging.
3. Develop Your Bakery’s Brand
Consider what kind of image you would like to have for your bakery. Is it supposed to be playful and relaxed or sophisticated and chic? This personality should be reflected in your branding. The logo, colors and design elements to be incorporated in your bakery will depend on the personality of the bakery.
4. Design Your Logo and Brand Assets
After this, you will be required to design an icon and other graphic items such as the packaging and signs. Ensure that these elements depict your bakery. For instance, if your bakery business is themed, then a basic and raw logo would be appropriate for your business. Ensure that you use the same color and font preferences whenever you are creating your brand materials. From your cards to custom boxes for baked goods, everything must show the identity of your brand.
5. Choose Your Bakery’s Voice
Another aspect of a brand is how you interact with customers. What kind of tone do you prefer to use, informal or formal? The voice of your bakery should reflect the general tone of your business. If you are creating a post for social media, speaking to customers in-store, or sending an email, your tone should always be the same.
6. Create an Experience
Branding is not just about the image. It also involves the kind of experience that you want your customers to have. Everything counts from the time the customer steps into your bakery until they leave. Teach your employees to offer the best services to your clients. Ensure that your bakery is clean, well stocked, and has a welcoming environment.
7. Stay Consistent
This is the reason why it is very important that a brand is consistent. After you have your logo, colors and designs, use them consistently throughout your business. Ensure that your website, social media, packaging and in-store branding are consistent. The more cohesive your brand is, the less difficult it will be for the consumers to identify it.
Bottom Line
It is not easy to build a bakery brand but it is very rewarding. A good brand will ensure that you are easily noticed in the market, get customers who are loyal and the experience will always be unique. It will be important to define the mission, to know the audience and to design consistently. With these elements in place, your bakery will be well on its way to success.