All successful businesses start with a great brand. For many small businesses, the day to day tasks involved in running operations come at a higher priority than creating a brand, but branding matters. Creating a brand allows you to pin down the objectives of your business, set you apart from the competition, and helps your customers instantly recognise you. Even Coca-Cola was once a small business, and it is now the market leader of carbonated soft drinks, so the importance of branding should not be understated.
Create a Positive Impression
Branding is all about the impression you want to make. Your brand should convey what is special and unique about your business, and why a customer should choose you over a competitor. Creating a brand is about creating a positive impression every time someone reads about or thinks about your company. This involves thinking carefully about what your core values and objectives are, and how you can communicate this in a way which resonates with your audience, using both visual materials and written text. Many small businesses make a positive impression even without an effective brand strategy in place, but having a brand creates a sense of trust in your product or service, and allows you to reach a wider audience and grow your business.
Establish a Consistent Brand Message
Although having a well-designed logo and a brand colour scheme is a good start towards creating a recognisable brand, small businesses should also develop a consistent tone of voice across all channels of communication. The way you greet customers face to face, on the phone, over email and online will create their impression of your brand, so it is important to ensure the right brand message comes through in all of these channels of communication. Establishing your values and brand identity will help guide your communication, create a consistent message and demonstrate to your audience that your brand is trustworthy and credible. Branding is about creating a foundation for growth, and having a consistent brand message helps to not only build your reputation among consumers but also investors and suppliers.
Customers Buy from Brands They Recognise
Brand recognition is vital to secure new business. Without a memorable brand identity, potential customers will struggle to find or remember your business. Your brand should distinguish your company from your competition and communicate why you are different from a competitor. Customers will usually choose to make a purchase from or use the services of a business whose brand they remember best, so creating a memorable logo and colour scheme and supporting it with a clear brand message makes your business seem more professional, and encourages customers to
use your product or service over a competitor.
Creating a brand lays the foundation for all of your marketing activities and helps establish a platform from which your business can grow. Coca-Cola started as a herbal beverage brewed and sold by one pharmacist in the 1800s. Now the brand is universally known and Santa’s livery has even been inspired by its brand colours. Our branding specialists can guide you through the process of creating your brand through graphic design, content which communicates your message, web design and more. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help bring your brand to life.
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