In the world of digital marketing, you will face various problems. But on the way to progress, many small and start-up businesses face challenges that larger businesses usually don’t face. Especially when it comes to branding.
Introducing a brand is difficult enough in itself. But the difficulties of doing this can be even more challenging for small businesses and start-ups, due to limited budgets and time constraints.
In this article, we will teach you that no matter how small your company is; the main step in small business branding is to create a memorable and consistent brand. It is important to consider how people perceive your business. After introducing a memorable identity, try to maintain this identity and use it as the basis for all your communications and advertising; So that your target audience can see it constantly.
In this section, some strategies that small businesses and start-ups can use to create these identities; will be examined.
Table of Contents
6 small business branding strategies
1. Choose a memorable name
You have less than 10 seconds to make a “first impression”. Your business name plays an important role in what affects the audience’s mind. In addition to being clear, choose a brand name that is easy, relevant, and memorable.
The best brand name is a name that is short and simple. Ideally, a two-part word is the best choice; because these words generally attract the attention of the target audience and are more memorable.
Another important point is that most successful businesses offer a wide range of products. Therefore, your brand name should not be too specific.
To start the work:
- Write down all the names that meet the above conditions and come to your mind.
- Also, prepare a list of synonyms and related words.
- Try suggested names and related words side by side. (Some words may be meaningless and useless).
- Keep combining words until you finally get the perfect name.
2. Engage your audience’s emotions
Creating an emotional response can affect how you remember anything. Arousing the emotions of the target audience can be effective in influencing your brand and help you in branding.
Try to create a voice, message, and identity that will make your audience emotionally connect with your business. How to do this will vary between companies. One brand may be nostalgic, while another may be entertainment.
3. Create a visual identity
Humans are visual creatures. Therefore, your branding efforts should prioritize visual identity. Like choosing the right colors for the brand name. Different colors can convey different messages to your audience. For example, the color red often represents passion and can attract your attention. Therefore, it can be a good choice for brands that want to present a bold image.
Typography is another important aspect of your visual identity. For example, some fonts tend to look more traditional and are more suitable for print. On the other hand, other fonts have a playful and informal look and provide good readability for digital screens. Keep these visual factors in mind to design an arm that represents your brand.
4. Align your website with your brand identity
Nearly 2 billion people buy goods and services online. This makes your website a one-stop shop for business. Convey your brand identity through the website as well. All factors, including design, images, content, etc., must be in harmony with the voice and identity of your brand.
This means that the color of your website should match the color of your brand. Also, the font used for the text should match the typography of the brand logo. It is also very important that you address the readability aspect as well. For example, if your brand color is red, using a red background will make it difficult to read. Instead, you can use a white background or another complementary color.
Be careful about fonts. If your logo font is decorative or difficult to read, use simpler fonts for other parts. Most importantly, the tone of your writing should reflect what you want your audience to feel about your brand.
5. be active on social networks
Today, extensive presence in social networks has become a necessity in branding. Social networks can be a very powerful platform to introduce your brand to the target audience. Start by choosing the platform your target audience is active on.
Once you have found the best platform to start your marketing; it’s time to create a profile page for your company. Choose profile pictures that match your brand’s visual identity. You can even use the company logo. As with your website, use language that matches your brand’s voice.
6. Coordinate your ads with your business
Small businesses should start branding through paid advertising. To ensure that campaigns are a true reflection of your brand, choose promotions and channels that will help you reach your target audience.
Start by researching your audience’s behavior and demographics. If they primarily use social media, then you can come up with ideas for ads to run.
For example, if you are targeting teenagers, collaborating with an influencer on social networks may be one of the most effective promotions. In general, click ads are a necessity for many new businesses.