Small Businesses and Branding: Why It"s Vital to Have a Brand If You Are a Small Business Owner
One of the major mistakes small business owners make is thinking that because they are small, they don't need a brand and they couldn't be more wrong.
Branding is what defines a company whether that company is the Gap or Giovanni's Trattoria.
You know the saying people do business with people they like and trust? Well, customers trust companies that they identify with.
Your brand should represent you and here are some key tips to successfully branding your small business.
1.
Logo.
This falls into the category of never do it yourself, unless you're a graphic designer.
Choose a professional graphic designer.
Your logo will be one of the most important investments you make.
Think about fonts, colors and images: you don't have to have an image as part of your logo, but if you do, make sure the image reflects your business.
Choose something simple and instantly recognizable that people will automatically associate with you and your business when they see it.
Even simple images on logos can be clever and look professional.
Just remember that once you have a logo, your business is going to be living with it for a very long time.
Use your logo on every piece of business communication.
2.
Advertising.
If you're like most small businesses, you have a very limited budget for advertising - even more reason to really think about brand identification and how to brand creatively on a small budget.
Invest in business cards, coupons to hand out to customers - even the little things can help build your brand.
3.
Use social media such as Facebook and Twitter.
Social media is no longer just a branding tool.
The Nielsen-Community Engine 2011 Social Media Business Benchmarking Study, which investigates how businesses use, measure and budget for social media, found that 43% of participating businesses use social media as a way to build a relationship with customers and stakeholders and 33% of businesses use social media for branding.
Social media is about engaging and in order to build your brand, you need to engage.
4.
Website.
Not only should your website reflect your brand, but it should look professional.
Again, this is one of those areas where unless you are a website designer, hire a professional to do it.
We've all found those terrible websites, the ones you click on and immediately hit the back browser.
Rememberto keep your website current.
An out-of-date website will do nothing to build your brand.
Branding isn't a one-time deal; it's an ongoing process of marketing, conversation and research that you need to be continually tapping into if you want to grow your brand and don't skimp when it comes to your logo and website.
Branding is what defines a company whether that company is the Gap or Giovanni's Trattoria.
You know the saying people do business with people they like and trust? Well, customers trust companies that they identify with.
Your brand should represent you and here are some key tips to successfully branding your small business.
1.
Logo.
This falls into the category of never do it yourself, unless you're a graphic designer.
Choose a professional graphic designer.
Your logo will be one of the most important investments you make.
Think about fonts, colors and images: you don't have to have an image as part of your logo, but if you do, make sure the image reflects your business.
Choose something simple and instantly recognizable that people will automatically associate with you and your business when they see it.
Even simple images on logos can be clever and look professional.
Just remember that once you have a logo, your business is going to be living with it for a very long time.
Use your logo on every piece of business communication.
2.
Advertising.
If you're like most small businesses, you have a very limited budget for advertising - even more reason to really think about brand identification and how to brand creatively on a small budget.
Invest in business cards, coupons to hand out to customers - even the little things can help build your brand.
3.
Use social media such as Facebook and Twitter.
Social media is no longer just a branding tool.
The Nielsen-Community Engine 2011 Social Media Business Benchmarking Study, which investigates how businesses use, measure and budget for social media, found that 43% of participating businesses use social media as a way to build a relationship with customers and stakeholders and 33% of businesses use social media for branding.
Social media is about engaging and in order to build your brand, you need to engage.
4.
Website.
Not only should your website reflect your brand, but it should look professional.
Again, this is one of those areas where unless you are a website designer, hire a professional to do it.
We've all found those terrible websites, the ones you click on and immediately hit the back browser.
Rememberto keep your website current.
An out-of-date website will do nothing to build your brand.
Branding isn't a one-time deal; it's an ongoing process of marketing, conversation and research that you need to be continually tapping into if you want to grow your brand and don't skimp when it comes to your logo and website.
