How to build a successful brand for your small business
Branding. It’s as essential for small businesses as for the largest corporation.
Of course, the difference is that most small business owners don’t have a team of marketing experts to help them develop their brands.
When it comes to developing your organisation’s story, it mostly comes down to the business owner to create a brand that attracts the ‘right’ type of customer.
And it’s not just about creating marketing collateral like your logo design. In an earlier blog, we explained the difference between a brand and a logo.
We also discussed how you can assess your brand’s effectiveness in this blog.
In this article, we wanted to touch on some basic issues around developing your organisation’s brand.
6 crucial aspects of building a successful small business brand
1. Know your ideal customer
Defining your target audience is one of the most critical steps in your small business planning process.
Be specific. What do they look like? What makes them tick? What are their worries? Why do they need what you’re selling? Then work out: can you build a business based on this audience?
Once you’ve worked out your ideal customer(s), you should build your marketing strategy around attracting them to your business.
2. Create a great company name
The name of your company can say a lot. It should be memorable and adaptable. It should have meaning to your customers. It should be unique and recognisable.
And most importantly, it must be legally available. Ensure it’s an available website address, or you’ll have to return to the drawing board.
Consider the name of your key competitors and choose a strong company name that helps you stand out from others. (The same goes for product names.) There are some tips about naming on this marketing podcast.
3. A simple, credible message
The core of your marketing message comes down to developing a one-liner. This encapsulates the problem you solve, sums up the value you bring to your customers, and communicates the results you’ll help them achieve.
Creating effective messaging is all about consistency and clarity. Avoid ‘inside language’ and reinforce your message across your website, brochures, and social media.
Don’t forget to include it in your email signature and your business card.
4. Market your business every day
Having a good website and being present and active on social media are essential to maintain a strong brand.
Having an up-to-date and complete Google Business Profile is also essential for local marketing.
Setting-up automated email campaigns in response to online enquiries is a great way of building a relationship with new customers.
Keep in touch with past clients with offers and helpful information.
5. Build credibility and trust
People do business with organisations they know, trust and like.
The quality of referrals and customer reviews is integral to creating trust in your prospective clients.
These days most people will go online to confirm recommendations from friends and family. So, ensure your website, printed marketing material, and social media content answer the burning questions your prospects might have.
6. Be responsive and make it easy for people to deal with you
No matter what business you’re in, chances are there’s competition out there vying for your customers.
As a small business, building a reputation as an approachable, reliable product and service provider is crucial to help you stand out.
Get back to customer enquiries quickly.
Offer customised information that fits the buyer journey (i.e., are they a new enquiry or a returned customer?)
Ensure you’re easy to contact via phone, text, email and an online response form.
Conversations in Facebook groups and other social media can also influence customers’ perceptions of your business. So, make sure you check in regularly and respond where needed.
If you’d like to know more about how to build a compelling brand for your small business, please get in touch. Call Katarina on 0415 128 804.