Often, branding is overlooked by start-ups since it seems like something best left to big-budget corporations that are considerably big. When all you want to do is get the day-to-day logistics met or finally get your product to the market, branding can be less of a priority. However, at a time when there are numerous enormous corporations, a brand is an often-overlooked competitive advantage.
Branding Is Key
Branding is an exercise in strengthening your brand so that your customers will view you as a business. A brand is not something that you create, but something you make. This is not the logo-and-name part of things; this is fleshing out who you are as a brand, what you stand for as a brand, and what the brand can offer to the audience at large
Basically, it’s all about how customers see you – in the context of your business.
How Are Small Businesses Empowered By Having A Brand?
A strong brand attracts and engages your target audience, helping you retain profit and tell your brand story to your customers. Strong brands also differentiate your business from competitors, making an easier transition from small enterprise to larger business.
If your website is an online store looking to compete with other online stores, then using unoriginal fonts, an incoherent colour theme, and a layout that comes from the 1950s will annoy users and encourage them to buy elsewhere. If you want your store to stand out and attract users, you should use a unique brand to make it seem more welcoming!
That’s essentially the logic here. It’s important to have a clear understanding of your target audience at this stage. Aside from being able to better tailor your advertising and products/services as a whole, it’s also a great way to establish credibility early on.
In some small companies, the tendency is to allocate as little as possible to building a brand – usually, this is a mistake. A strong brand can become a point of differentiation that is just as powerful as the product itself.
Define YOU
A clear vision and strong identity will go a long way as a starting point. Ask yourself these questions:
- How do you want customers to describe you?
- What is the mission of your company?
- What is the value system of your company?
- What kind of customer perception do you want to be associated with your company?
These are great questions to really define purpose, values and vision. Make sure to write those three things down in a document once you’ve really sorted it all out. That way, you can revisit this down the line.
Be Original
New businesses need to use creativity to distinguish themselves from the competition. Yes, this is where the logo comes in, as well as the overall design plan.
Keep Consistent
To maintain a strong brand, try to use the same tone of voice throughout all of your marketing communications. If you want to change the look of your email template or poster design, start by creating a brand guide early in the process, and ensure that everyone follows this guide for all other marketing communications.
Branding is a crucial aspect of marketing in general. For small businesses, it’s a full-on source of power. It’s vital to be original and stay consistent.
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