Did you know branding is the #1 way to grow a business? It’s true! If people don’t know and trust your brand, they will never buy from you.
If you want to build your business, you need to make sure that people can recognize it in a heartbeat. Statistics show that over 59% of customers prefer to buy from brands they trust. This tells you that developing your branding message is one of the most important things you can do for your small business.
But how can you ensure that they know about your brand? This branding guide will help teach you what branding is and why it’s vital to a successful company.
What Is Branding?
Branding is the process of creating a unique message for your company.
Branding helps communicate to potential clients who you are and what you stand for and. It’s all about developing a memorable experience with your customers that they’ll want to have again and again.
Branding can help distinguish yourself from competitors by establishing an identity in the marketplace. This will make it easier for people to find you.
As long as there are clear identifiers around which people can rally (such as logos), then they’re more likely to remember your business.
The key is consistency. Customers need familiar signals so that they know who meets their needs.
So, what makes a great branding strategy?
Build a Branding Story
Branding starts with a story. This is the core of your company and what you want to say about it. Think about who are you, what do you do best, why should people care?
You’ll need more than a logo or tagline to build an identity that stands out from others. Branding means establishing an emotion around your brand.
Remember how Nike took over running by telling people, “Just Do It”? That’s branding at its most powerful point. Connecting with someone on such a deep emotional level that they feel like this won’t be another purchase but part of their personal journey towards success.
The role of a brand message is to consolidate the brand mission statement, vision, and values into a single, cohesive message.
Create a Recognizable Logo to Be Your Brand Signature
Besides the brand story, the logo is the most visible branding element. It’s usually a symbol that communicates what your company is about.
Find the best eCommerce solutions provider to design your logo for you. However, make sure they understand the essence of your brand.
Your branding should reflect not only what you do now but also where you want to go. Don’t shy away from bold colors, lines, and shapes.
Your branding should be recognizable with one look at it. Think Nike swoosh or McDonald’s Golden Arches. This ensures that customers know exactly which company stands behind each product without searching through labels on shelves.
Branding Color
It’s the first thing a customer sees, so it should be carefully considered. Choose colors that are appropriate for your branding and make sure they stand out from the background.
As branding becomes more and more prevalent, the color palette you choose will help your customers identify your company in a sea of competitors.
Don’t be afraid to use colors that are bright or offbeat. It is always better than using black and white.
But don’t go overboard with too many colors. This can make it harder for consumers to distinguish which brand belongs to whom.
Think about how you want to use your branding colors. What emotions will they evoke in the viewer? Then choose a color that matches best with those desired effects.
You might also want to incorporate branding color into other branding elements like letterhead or business cards.
Branding Fonts
Branding fonts are another critical element to your branding. Although they are a personal preference, always keep in mind the legibility and readability of your branding font.
They should be readable, and they must match the branding colors you’ve chosen. Customers need to identify them on different types of media, from packaging labels to print advertisements.
Think about how you want to use your branding font. What emotions it will evoke in the viewer. Then choose a font that matches best with those desired effects.
Serious or playful? Clean and professional or handwritten? Humorous but legible? Consider all these factors when deciding on a branding font.
Branding Voice
Branding should also include a brand voice. The tone of the copy you use on your website and in social media posts should be consistent with the type of company that you want to present yourself as.
A branding voice is the personality of your brand. It’s how you want to come across in all branding materials- both visually and verbally. As a small business, your branding voice must speak to what you do without being too generic or vague.
What are good examples of branding voices? Nike’s slogan “Just Do It” and Adidas’ tagline “Impossible Is Nothing” embody their brands by showing confidence through words.
What are some tips for developing my branding voice?
Be consistent: Your branding materials should have all of the same elements and messages.
Stay true to yourself: You can’t change who you are because it’s convenient.
Start small: If this is new territory for you or if branding isn’t something done within your company, start by doing one social media post at a time. Then build up from there so you can better gauge what works well.
Follow This Small Business Branding Guide
The small business branding guide is a great resource for any entrepreneur who wants to develop their message and create a digital marketing plan that speaks to customers.
Hopefully, you found some new ideas in this blog post. If not, then we encourage you to read more of our blogs. They are always full of valuable information on how your business can grow through innovative tactics.