Kiya Sports (www.kiyasports.com) is a prime example of how to build brand recognition and awareness for a start-up entrepreneurial venture and they dedicated themselves to branding really shows.  They followed the key ground zero branding steps outlined above and then added the “lifestyle branding” that gave their new venture the personality that really connected with their target audience.

Creative Marketing Services recently helped brand and launch Kiya Sports; a new Southern California based Paddleboard Company.  The owner had very specific ideas about who they were, what they were all about and what they stood for and those same characteristics have been woven into the “lifestyle branding” fabric that Kiya Sports is built on.

An extensive list of detailed criteria was used in the development of their ultimate target audience and the demographics used to define that audience included everything from age, gender, lifestyle choices and personality to where they lived, worked and played.

Developing a comprehensive branding strategy, and staying true to that strategy, is what sets Kiya Sports apart from their competition and its paid big dividends for Kiya Sports, its owners, the Paddleboard Community and to their ever growing list of customers, members and newsletter subscribers.  The branding is consistent, memorable, focused, fun and accurately portrays the experience and essence of what Kiya Sports is all about.  The logo design, color scheme, business name and company tagline etc…work extremely well together and are used in every aspect of their business from business cards and promotional items to store signage and website graphics.

KIYA SPORTS

Who They Are - Kiya Sports is a Southern California based Paddleboard Company, run by women for women.

What They Offer - A wide range of Paddle Boarding activities designed by women for women. The Kiya Sports holistic teaching approach helps beginners become confident and proficient paddlers. Our goal is to get you laughing and having so much fun that you forget you’re actually getting a fantastic workout!

Company Tagline - KIYA SPORTS - LIFE ON WATER

Lifestyle Branding - There is a special sense of family, or “Ohana” among Paddle Boarders, that is as deep as it is unique.  When you learn to paddleboard, you become a part of this very positive community. Kiya Sports is made up of extraordinary water-women and our passion, wonder and generosity are the foundation of Kiya Sports and we’re excited to share our passion for the ocean with other women.

Company Goal - For women to gain self-confidence, enjoy the benefits of watersports and come away feeling tremendously inspired.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Kiya Sports, and Founder Kathryn Tubbs, for giving Creative Marketing Services the mission of maximizing their vision, their R.O.I. and their potential for success by connecting with their target audience.
Victoria Byrne, President
Creative Marketing Services, CMS

Branding was once considered the private domain of large businesses, extremely wealthy private concerns and multi-national corporations, but if history has taught us anything it’s that one of the most important keys to success for any business, including small business, large corporations and entrepreneurial start-up ventures, is branding.  In fact, many believe that branding plays a more important role in the success or failure of start-up entrepreneurial ventures and small businesses than it does in large and publicly owned corporations.

Branding is what sets you apart from your competition!  Branding is how you communicate your message of exactly who you are and what you stand for to both your current customers as well as prospective new customers alike.  Brand recognition is vital to the success of any start-up entrepreneurial venture or small business; how can a prospective customer become an actual customer if they can’t remember who you, what products and services you have to offer or how to find you.

As a small business or start-up venture, keeping your branding and messaging focused, on track and consistent is easier said than done, but statistics gathered by the Small Business Association show that a large percentage of prosperous start-up ventures and small businesses attributed their success to branding their businesses in a consistent, targeted and focused manner and by staying true to their original plan of who they are, what they stand for and what they hoped to accomplish when they first opened their doors for business to the general public.

Many people view branding as nothing more than a series of intricate logo treatments, pleasing color combinations, nice graphics, catchy slogans and memorable taglines, but the umbrella of branding covers so much more than that.   In reality, branding is about managing the thoughts, feelings and emotions of your customers so that your businesses products and services are what they desire.  If your brand image doesn’t sync with the brand image of what’s in the minds of your target audience, then you’re left with one of following three choices:

1.    Rethink your branding strategy and adopt your target audience’s ideal identity and brand image.
2.    Attempt to convert your target audiences brand image to what you think it should be.
3.    Shut your doors and go into a different line of work.

Sometimes it’s tough for entrepreneurs and “do-it-yourself” small business owners to swallow their pride rethink their branding position and adjust their strategy to meet the desires of their target audience, but that’s exactly what needs to be done in order for your business to survive, prosper and grow.  Two of the most “spot on” sales and marketing adages for follow this advice are “Give Them What They Want” and “The Customer is Always Right!”  Paying attention to the wisdom of those old adages has helped many small businesses and start-up ventures stay afloat when times were bad and prosper when times were good!