Ask most small business owners about how their brand building is going and you’ll just get a blank stare in return. For most people, branding is something you read about Coke or Nike doing. It feels like a different world from most small companies. Many people think of branding as a luxury that can be started after their company gets up and running. But in reality, you are establishing your brand from day one.

The good news is that you can start improving your brand image immediately.  These tips can go a long way towards getting your image where you want it to be. And none of them are particularly difficult or expensive; in fact some don't cost anything at all. 

Your Voice

Who Are You? To successfully manage your brand message, you have to figure out who you are. And this really needs to come from who you are, not who you hope to be or wish you were. Honda is not Mercedes. Wal-Mart is not Lord & Taylor. They don’t try to be. The best positioning carves out their niche very specifically. Be true to whom you decide you are, and you will then make communicating that much easier.

Pick a color, any color.
Quick, what color are UPS trucks? How about Coca-Cola cans? Picking a company color can help you establish your brand even stronger than your logo might. When your company’s packaging, delivery trucks, envelopes or postcards all have a consistent dominant color, it makes it easier for your consumers to notice you.

Rome wasn't built in a day. Neither was Coke.
We’ve seen too many clients tire of an ad campaign way before their customers have. They’ve seen all the ideas, approved all the ads, and lived with them for months. And are ready for something new. Resist the urge. Chances are your customers haven’t seen them as much as you have. Pulling them before their time will cost you money at least, and maybe more customers. Consistency and repetition are the hallmarks of a successful branding campaign. Find the right message and keep it out there as much as you can.

Ads are a good vehicle, but not the only car on the road.
If you’ve got a large ad budget, good for you, you should be able to build your brand presence faster. If you don’t: you can start spreading the word cheaply. Call your local paper’s business editor with story ideas about you or your industry. Send press releases to all interested publications you can think of every time something noteworthy happens. Put signs up in your window promoting a new service. Hold a contest in the community. Sponsor a local youth sports team. There are lots of ways to start making those personal connections. Utilize them.

Outrageous is good. Dull works too.
There is no correct formula. Find the voice you are comfortable with and stick with it. You don't have to be flashy. Some of the most compelling advertising in the last 20 years came out of an insurance company, John Hancock.  Again, it gets back to the question: What’s your voice? A valuable brand can come from a very conservative positioning, just as much as an off-the-wall one. Just find the right fit for you and maximize it.

Branding isn’t just for big business, but it will take some thinking on your part., and a good amount of effort as well. But as soon as you get these steps in place, you’ll begin to see that your branding will help you build your business without even thinking about it.

 For more info or questions, feel free to email me

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