Why small business owners should consider branding
What Is Branding?
Branding, by definition, is a marketing practice in which a company creates a name, symbol or design that is easily identifiable as belonging to the company. It is a way of distinguishing yourself from your competitors and clarifying what it is you offer that makes you the better choice. Your brand is built to be a true representation of who you are as a business, and how you wish to be perceived.
Why Is Branding Important?
If you want to build a successful business, you need to be recognizable. The right branding (including designing an impactful logo, website, and other brand assets) helps you carve out a distinct style. It doesn’t matter what kind of company you have, what industry you’re in, or what type of customer you’re after; if you’re in business, you’ve got some serious competition. Branding helps you establish the ways in which you’re different, special, and unique. And it shows your customers why they should work with you instead.
Here’s what Branding can do for your small business
1. BRANDING Improves Recognition
One of the major components of your brand is your logo. Think of how we instantly recognize the mascot of Disneyland, Mickey Mouse. As the “face” of a company, logo design is critical because that simple graphic will be on every piece of correspondence and advertising. A professional logo design is simple enough to be memorable, but powerful enough to give the desired impression of your company.
Do you want a logo that’s right for your business? Get in Touch
2. BRANDING Creates Trust within the Marketplace which Generates New Customers
A professional appearance and strategic branding will help your company build trust with potential clients and customers. People are more likely to purchase from a business that appears polished and legitimate. Emotional reactions are hardwired into our brains, and those reactions are very real influencers. Being properly branded gives the impression of being industry experts and makes the public feel as though they can trust your company, the products and services it offers and the way it handles its business.
A complete Branding Exercise should always include a BRAND-GUIDE?
A Brand Style Guide also called “brand bible” is a document that describes, defines and presents examples of what your brand looks like in various visual media such as print, Internet and broadcast. To be effective it must clearly define the rules around your online and offline presence in all channels.
These guidelines provide a template for decision-making and precipitate ideas for future marketing campaigns.
It also includes all the stylistic elements of your brand, that is your color palette, fonts, and an outline of your brand voice.
Conclusion
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to branding. Depending on your business and industry, you might need additional assets like business cards, letterheads, product packaging or event flyers. Assess your business and your unique needs, and then develop additional branding assets accordingly.
At the end of the day, marketing is the process that brings you the leads and sales, but branding is the foundation upon which you build your reputation and customer loyalty. A better brand means better marketing
Empower your business with branding
If you ever feel lost in the process, remember that support is always at hand. Once you have established your branding vision, get in touch with AskEvision to help bring your branding to life.
Also check out our guide to branding for more tips: A-Z Branding Guide