SMALL BUSINESS BRANDING 101
Brand is much more than a logo on your business card - it’s your entire company’s reputation. People experience your brand when they interact with your website, your showroom, or your employees. Establishing and managing a brand can be hard work, so here are a few tips to help you define a brand strategy and increase brand loyalty for your small business:
Focus
Don’t let your company be so broad that you don’t stand for anything. Pick a topic and stick to it. The smaller your niche, the easier you can become numero uno. Another good focussing exercise is to regularly update your business plan. This helps you articulate your goals, even if you aren’t pitching them to an investor.
Differentiate
Would a purple cow on the side of the road make you stop and take a picture? Probably. Be the purple cow and differentiate your brand. Position your product or service as unique, exclusive or one-of-a-kind. Stand out from the crowd and earn attention rather than beg for it.
Collaborate
As a company grows, so does its potential for great collaboration. For optimal results, try to gather people who share the same vision. If you’re leading a group, give creative freedom, but also be sure that everyone is humming along to the same tune. Clearly communicate goals and your project will benefit from everyone’s unique talents.
Design
Whether you’re a one-person operation, or a team of 50, having professional design is a must. With it, you can portray that charming, luxurious or powerful image required to win over your customer. A great place to start looking for a design firm or freelancer is the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada website.
Cultivate
Branding is not a one day event. You should cultivate a brand much like your own personal reputation. Shaking hands, kissing babies, quelling rumours, and attending all the right parties. A brand’s reputation should be honest and active, showing the world what the company stands for.
Housekeeping
Since most companies have more than one employee, a few loose guidelines can help everyone be consistent and reach a common goal. Some examples for brand management are guidelines for fonts, email signature styles, customer service protocol and attire.
Want to learn more about brand? Check out these great websites and books:
Leanne Havelock is the founder of Four Letter Word Media, a copywriting agency based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She's passionate about writing for the web, and collaborating with like-minds. Follow her on twitter @4letterw0rd.
