For many small businesses, the question of branding leaves little room for discussion, mostly because branding sounds like a big business subject that most small business don’t feel they have the time or the budget for.
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But in reality it’s not. Branding can be achieved on almost any level with any size budget, when carefully considered. The problem lies in the narrow definition of branding which most equate with fancy logos, distinctive colors and symbols. While these items can certainly play a powerful role in your branding campaign, they are not all inclusive. Branding is a comprehensive approach to building awareness that should have one goal in mind — connection.
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What is Branding?
Simply put, branding is all about connectivity. Branding incorporates the full experience an individual has when coming in contact with your organization or company. It is the who, the what, the how, the why and all things in between. Branding involves perception, thoughts and opinions, but not yours, mind you, which is an important point to remember. When taking your brand into consideration, ask yourself this question: When someone comes into contact with my company, what do they feel, think and experience?
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Another Side of Branding
Small business branding starts with focus and in the beginning, very few companies truly know who they are or what they really represent making the task of branding somewhat confusing. Most fail in the act of due diligence. Many get lost in the tangibles, wasting significant dollars in the process. There must be a balance. When building a brand as a small business owner, you must think strategically about how you are representing yourself in the marketplace. Here are a few things to think about:
- Defining Your Mission – In order for someone to connect with your brand they have to understand who you are, what you do and how you do it. Brand buy-in certainly helps when you have a good slogan and logo, but if you don’t have a clear vision and a mission, it’s easy to depart from your core competencies and forget what you represent.
— - Establishing Trust – We’re talking trust in an article about branding? You bet we are. Just think about what happens when you don’t do what you say you’re going to do. Consider this example using FedEx (absolutely positively overnight). Here is a company that has built its brand around mail speed and delivery. So what happens if they are unable to follow through on their claims and begin to lack accountability for getting your mail where it needs to be on time? An immediate disconnect and lack of trust. Building a brand is about establishing trust. Does your company do what it says it will do? Can your customers count on you? Before you answer these questions too quickly, remember trust goes beyond credibility and expertise, trust is also an issue of capacity. Don’t be the company that over promises to try to get the sale. Instead be the company that understands what resources it has available. When trust and accountability don’t factor into your brand, connections and sales can easily be lost.
———- - Clarifying Your Message – Brands can become cloudy when clarity is overlooked. Clarity comes in the form of your message. In other words, are you conveying very clearly your vision and mission? Do potential buyers completely understand what you do? When they visit your website, have a conversation with your sales representative or see a brochure, is it made clear what problems you solve and what results you are able to achieve? If not, it’s time to revisit the messages you’re sending out.–
– - Building Brand Consistency – Another aspect of branding revolves around consistency. Consistency can be displayed in a number of ways including all of the things I’ve shared above. Here’s a simple way to determine if your brand is consistent. Take a look at all of your marketing collateral. If you line up your brochure, business card, and website, can you tell it’s the same company or does everything look completely different? Are you using the same colors, similar design structure or would someone question if it was the same company? What about your messaging? Are you consistent in tone, verbiage and your overall message? Small business owners may find this challenging because most believe they have to spend a lot of money to get this right. Not true. Even on a very small budget, you can create consistency throughout your company and throughout your messages.—
—– - Defining Your Tone – As you market your company and build brand awareness, your efforts will begin to take on a certain tone. Are you the fun company? The in-your-face sales trainer? The conservative financial planner? The innovative IT company? These are the things your company will come to be known for and consumers will begin to expect from you. Your tone helps to establish your brand and can be displayed via your blog, newsletter, colors, slogans, and all that you do throughout your communication.
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Small businesses can significantly enhance their branding efforts if they begin to implement the strategies referenced above. Consumers are looking for companies that provide more than a great product or service. They want great experiences and companies in which they can connect. This requires branding from the inside out, which means taking a more expansive view of your company and brand as a whole. Businesses that understand this and are willing to take the time and do the work of clarifying who they are, building trusting relationships, tailoring their messages and defining their tone will begin to systematically create a consistent and appealing brand.
Author: Sheronde Glover is a small business consultant, trainer and coach.
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