When you think of branding, the Nike swoosh or distinctive Coca-Cola red and white cursive come to mind. Establishing a killer Small Business Branding can seem overwhelming but can be easily handled by following these steps.
When Branding a Small Business, First Consider the Following:
Establish Your Identity. What exactly is a “Brand”? When you establish a Brand identity, you are defining the perception of your business to others. Think of your business as a person and build your concept of it’s character, it’s beliefs and it’s benefits to society.
- Mission. Does your business have a goal to achieve?
- Message. Do you have a message to deliver? How is it different than your competitors?
- Style. Is your business traditional, eclectic, quirky…?
- Mood. What feeling do you want to project when consumers see your logo?
- Colors. What colors support your style and mood?
- Fonts. What fonts and typography give voice to your brand?
- Imagery. Do you have a mascot or
- Tagline. Can you capture the essence of your Brand in a simple, memorable phrase?
- Research Your Prospects. Don’t rely on what you think that your customers want, research it and know what they need. What message will resonate with your customers to build long-term relationships? Do you have enough audience for your brand concept or do you need to widen the target message?
- Don’t Over-complicate it. Keep it simple with clean, easily recognizable and remembered elements. Short and succulent taglines convey your message best.
- Be consistent. After establishing your Brand, it can be tempting to forego the message for a particular campaign or ad. If you forego this step, however, all of your branding efforts will fail. To become a brand, you must be committed to your voice, your message, and not deviate.
Stay Committed to Your Branding:
After establishing your Brand Identity. You need to communicate your Brand to your employees and the public. Think Virgin Airlines – don’t just think it, be it. If you can sell your employees of the value of your Brand, they will in turn sell your customers.