As a small business owner, you might think that branding is not necessary for you. Maybe you think branding is only used in huge companies like Apple or Amazon. But the truth is, branding is one of the key ingredients needed for great sales in any business, no matter the size. Small business branding is actually very vital because a lot of the competition will also think it as unnecessary. So if you take this opportunity and plan your small business branding, you will gain an edge over competing businesses.
In order to do so, you must first understand what branding is. A small business like yours needs authenticity, a story to build your marketing strategy on. That story, how you present yourself, and people get to know you, is branding. Branding has an energetic and also strategic world. In order to turn people into customers, you have to build your branding in a way to help your business stand out. You have to be loud and confident in what you do so your potential buyers can notice you. Without further ado, let us look at the top 10 branding tips your small business needs to bloom.
What Are The Top 10 Steps For Small Business Branding?
1. Define your brand identity.
Brand identity is your business personality. Every primary step of branding is included in building your brand identity, from deciding your brand colors and fonts, designing your logo, to building your website. Brand identity requires defining your purpose, analyzing the market, knowing your customer needs, and defining a brand voice accordingly. In fact, we have a whole blog post on how to build a brand identity. You can give it a read to know all about how to define your small business brand identity.
2. Write slogans and taglines.
A tagline is a definition of your brand in one line. Your tagline includes who you are, what you do, and what you offer. Taglines don’t usually change and are a part of your logo or graphics. Slogans, however, can vary in time and are generally assigned to a product or an advertising campaign. A catchy and memorable tagline or slogan can bring awareness to your brand and marketing campaigns.
3. Create Marketing Material.
Building your brand identity helps you understand what your business should look like. Now you have to create your brand visuals. Product names, logo, website design, business cards, product packaging, and visual content are all a part of your branding. You might have some Photoshop skills, but you can’t risk when it comes to designing your marketing material. Invest in a professional graphic designer. Give them your style guideline and a thorough definition of your brand. Make sure they are familiar with the products or services you offer and give them ideas of your vision. Trust in the process and make sure you stock up on your product packages and business cards.
4. Use Social Media.
Social media is where branding blooms. Digital marketing has helped many small businesses like you flourish and gain more potential customers. With a simple Google search, you can find out which social media platforms your target audience are active on. Build accounts on those platforms and use your style guide and the visual content in your marketing material and build a layout for your account. Write a content strategy and a marketing strategy. Link to your website blogs and make sure you have high-quality pictures of your products. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are perfect for small business branding. They offer services like Facebook ads and Instagram shops. You can engage with your audience directly and turn them into buyers using the brand voice you defined.
5. Differ from your competition.
As a small business, you have to be different in a good way so that your potential customers notice you. Design your logo so that it differs from the mainstream in your competition. Think about answers to these questions: Can you offer a service your competitors don’t provide? Are you acing at customer service? Does your brand identity have a unique characteristic your competitors don’t have? Even a simple tone of voice can be a good idea to stand out from your competition. People are always looking for something new. It doesn’t matter if your products are the same as your competition. What matters is how you present them that helps you stand out.
6. Be the superhero your customers need.
The most important part of branding is what people are talking about you behind your back. If you want to be different and stand out:
- Live and breathe customer service.
- Make sure you have a tone of voice in favor of your brand identity.
- Let your customers know that you are always available to help them.
- Find ways to make your sales process as seamless as possible for your customers.
- Give them promotions for their next sales; that’s one way to have returning customers.
- Always be available and patient with your customers.
- Answer all their questions and make sure they know you value them. If you score at your customer service, you give your customers something to remember and turn them into advocates in your branding process.
7. Stay true to your words.
As I mentioned above, happy customers who are pleased with your product and services are your best advocates. I know how simple it seems, but you have no idea how many small businesses fail to keep their promises. If you offer a service, you have to ensure your customers receive it. The sales process can get complicated, but you have to make sure nothing distracts you from the vision you promised. For example, earlier in this blog post, I mentioned stocking up on your product packaging. If you run out of packages and have orders, the package reordering process will consume a lot of time from your sales process and result in a delay in your delivery time. Taking care of little details like this will eventually help you maintain your brand identity and have pleased customers who appreciate your brand.
8. Grow your community.
What many successful businesses like Apple do, is building a community. Not every person who follows your business is a potential customer, but they can be advocates. A community is a mixture of your prospects, your potential customers, and people who might not be your audience but enjoy the content you share. You can build your community on social media platforms and also on your website blog. Building a community is a part of your branding process and marketing strategy. The content you share can turn prospects into returning customers and have referrals from those who are not interested in your products.
9. Deliver Value.
Respect is all that matters in a business. Having values can set you apart from your competitors. Stand for or against something. Let your audience know what your opinions on matters are. Share your thoughts as a part of your business personality. Have discussions in your community and listen to your audience’s views and values. As a part of your customer service, let your customers know how much you appreciate them and value their time. Offer services that can solve your customers’ problems. Having values in line with your customers can result in having loyal customers and a community that listens to you.
10. Stay updated with branding trends.
Branding is a never-ending process. There are always updates and tips you can interpret in your branding process. Read as many articles as you can. Talk to brand consultants and strategize. Update your content and marketing strategies. Make sure you have a trendy, up-to-date website and use hashtags on social media to always stand out. Never take a break from building your brand. Listen to your customers, and update your branding strategy whenever you feel like your customers are demanding a fresh new look. Sometimes a new product might even need a whole new branding. Don’t hesitate to take risks and never settle. Always stand a step away from your competitors.
To Recap
Branding is the language your business speaks. You have to build the alphabet. Teach your small business to spell words and talk with sentences. You can watch your small business take baby steps towards your sales goals. Everything from your logo to your customer service is an essential part of your branding. Branding is not a short-term investment. It’s the most important investment you will make for your small business.
If you follow these tips, you can build an astonishing brand. You will be able to show off your products, speak your mind, and stand out in the highly competitive market. Never be afraid of taking risks. Constantly update yourself and gain as much knowledge about branding as you can. Running a small business takes much more effort than a famous brand. You have a long road ahead of you, and branding helps clear out the pathway for you!