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Branding is a crucial element for any business, whether it’s B2B or retail, small or large.
Your brand basically refers to the image your business projects to customers and prospects. Your branding is based on who is in your target market and what you offer. It is revealed in how your products and services are delivered.
When done properly, branding helps build positive associations in customers’ minds. A strong brand will create loyalty and boost your company’s growth and profits.
Here are some terrific strategies for successfully branding your small business.
RELATED ARTICLE: 6 NEW BRANDING TRENDS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR THINKING ABOUT MARKETING YOUR BUSINESS
1. Establish Your Brand Identity
Branding is not just about having a great logo that appears on your website and promotional materials. It is about the entire identity of your business. Your brand tells your story. It encompasses your business’s reputation, products, and design. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is understand who you are. So ask yourself these three questions:
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What Makes You Different?
Consider what makes your business stand out from other businesses in your industry. Maybe your business has been in existence for several generations. Maybe your products are environmentally friendly. Or maybe your prices are the most customer-friendly. Drawing attention to your uniqueness will help build trust with customers.
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Who Is in Your Target Market?
Offering a great product or service is not enough. You need to figure out who you want to sell it to. What is their gender? How old are they? Where do they live? What is their income? Once you understand your target market, it will be easier to create a brand identity
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What Is Your Mission?
Write a one- to three-sentence mission statement that captures what your business is all about. Your statement should highlight not just what you do, but your motivation for doing what you do. This is critical to branding your business.
2. Come up with a Memorable Name
Quite often, a company’s name is the first thing people learn about any business. Therefore, be sure to choose a business name that will leave a great first impression and attract new customers. It should be a unique name that people will easily remember and associate with your brand. Avoid using numbers, acronyms, and puns. These might end up confusing your audience.
Additionally, before making a decision, check if your business name would make a good domain name. Carry out a search to find out if the domain name is available for purchase. Your domain name should make it easy for customers to find you when searching online. If you are struggling to find the right business name, sites such as Squadhelp and NamingForce could come in handy.
3. Create a Unique Logo
A logo is an important element in your visual branding strategy. Companies such as Nike, Apple, Adidas, Starbucks and McDonald’s are easily recognizable because of their logos. You need to have a unique logo that will look good in different formats. For branding purposes, you will use your logo on your business cards, your website, your product packaging, and your promotional materials.
The good news is that creating a professional logo does not need to be expensive. For example, you can use Designhill’s AI-powered logo maker to create a great logo within minutes. This logo maker comes with numerous frames, icons, and fonts to choose from. In addition, it offers more than 50 versions of your logo for use on different social media platforms. What’s more, the designs are print-ready and optimized for mobile devices.
4. Promote Your Brand
Once you know who you are and you have created a brand identity, you need to get your brand out there. Create original videos and blog posts which will establish you as an authority in your industry. Your content should address common questions that your customers ask about your industry or business. Stay in touch with your customers with a variety of email campaigns. Email is among the most popular communication media, used by many on a daily basis. For that, you just need a good email marketing automation service. Use social media to share helpful information and engage with your customers regularly. Giving away free promotional products is another great way of getting your brand out there.
5. Branding is All About Living up to Your Promises
Branding is not just about talking the talk, but also walking the walk. Failing to live up to your promises could have an adverse effect on your business’s reputation. One of the best ways of maintaining a good reputation is by having great customer service. When your customers are happy, they are more likely to return. What’s more, they’re more likely to recommend your business to others as well.
Finally, you should also strive to remain on the cutting edge of innovation. Work to continually improve your strategies so that your business can rise to the top.
Charles Mburugu is a HubSpot-certified content marketer with over eight years experience in various industries. Check out his portfolio and connect on LinkedIn.
