In order to have a successful small business, effective branding is crucial. Branding is your chance to tell your customers who you are as a company and make yourself stand out amongst competitors. In fact, 86% of consumers say that authenticity is a key factor when deciding what brands to support, so a great branding strategy is essential to your success. If you are having trouble finding ways to brand your small company, here are some tips that may help.
Know Your Audience
This may seem silly, but knowing your audience and understanding their needs and pain points is a key factor in branding your company. Learn how to do market research for a startup so that you can create products and branding that appeal to and resonate with your desired buyer. If you are aware of who you are selling to, you will find it much easier to create marketing campaigns and further develop your product line.
Choose Signature Colors and a Logo
Think about some of the most famous and popular companies in the world, and I bet you also know their company logos and colors. Pick a logo for your brand that is instantly recognizable. Your logo should have something to do with the product or service that you provide, because abstract art is often confusing and won’t be easy to remember. 80% of consumers say that color increases brand recognition, so choose colors that will resonate with your audience.
Keep Your Messaging Consistent
Especially when you are first starting out, it is important to create effective messaging and stick with it—at least for a little while. A company that is constantly changing their taglines and messaging gives the impression that they don’t quite have things figured out and may drive customers away for fear that they are disorganized. Tone is also important, and you should strive to keep the same tone no matter where you are writing. For example, if you have a more lighthearted tone on your website and blog, this should also carry through to your social media posts so you don’t appear disjointed to your audience.
Show Your Value
You may sell a unique product that is loved by current customers, but what about the potential customers who stumble upon your website and see your product but don’t understand what it does? You should focus some of your website and social content on why your product is valuable and what problems it solves for its users. The goal is to evoke an emotional response in the potential buyer instead of simply showing them a cool product. Why will your product make their life easier? What does your company do that others don’t (good customer service, customer loyalty programs, etc.)?
Don’t Offer Something You Can’t Actually Do
Don’t make promises that you cannot keep. If you offer free shipping on your website but find that it is too expensive, honor it for any customer who has purchased under that pretense. Do the research in advance to ensure that any deal or discount offered is actually doable so you don’t wind up with unhappy customers who feel betrayed. The Internet is a powerful place and those who feel taken advantage of are likely to leave reviews, so do all you can to keep your promises so your ratings do not plummet.
Build Great Products
Do not stop producing when you become wildly successful. The best companies continue to build upon their best products, adding features and functionality that will keep fans interested in acquiring the latest versions. Never stop creating amazing things, because you never know when a competitor will swoop in and try to take over your place in the market.
It can be tough to brand a new company, particularly if you are not a creative mind. Use these simple tips and you’ll have no trouble creating a brand that is recognizable and successful.
