A strong brand identity has the power to elevate and position a company in a way that can yield greater success.
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A strong brand identity has the power to elevate and position a company in a way that can yield greater success. For small businesses, a strong brand identity is one of the key ways to stand out from competitors and differentiate yourself. But branding is more than just a logo and tagline. It’s about how you tell your story to customers through all the different channels available to you. It’s not always easy, but creating a strong brand identity for your small business can be one of the most important decisions you make, as it will shape how people see your company.
Here are three powerful reasons why branding matters so much for small businesses and how you can start to create a strong brand identity.
What is brand identity?
From your website’s appearance to your messaging style, branding helps your company create a visual presentation to the world. From your mission statement and brand values to the types of imagery you’ll use to highlight your products or services, these elements are all key parts of your brand identity. A strong brand identity delivers a cohesive message to your audience and builds trust.
When you think of branding, it’s easy to associate the word with logos or color palettes. However, in reality, branding encompasses much more than that: brand positioning, customer experience design, advertising campaigns, marketing materials — the list goes on!
Related: Why Branding is Even More Relevant To Businesses Today
Why is a branding strategy important?
A branding strategy is a plan for positioning your business as the market leader and generating customer loyalty.
A branding strategy is essentially a roadmap for how you’ll develop and communicate your brand identity to customers. It involves defining who your target audience is, what type of branding content they might want or need from you and where they can find it (including social media channels).
It’s about coming up with relevant brand values that are special to you, defining what makes you different from other businesses in your industry, understanding how people perceive you online (both social media influencers and bloggers) and building an emotional connection with customers.
Related: 4 Branding Strategies Every Startup Founder Should Know About
How can a small business do brand marketing?
You need to create an emotional branding message that resonates with your target audience so that they form a deeper connection with your company. When people think of your business, they should be able to succinctly explain to others what you offer and why you’re valuable (from their perspective).
From your social media marketing content to your website’s blog posts, press releases and online ads, every aspect of marketing your company corresponds directly to the way you want people to perceive your brand.
Think about your core messaging, your tone of voice and your imagery. In essence, make sure that every touchpoint relates to your “vibe”. Is your brand fun or playful? Is it sophisticated and chic?
As you can see, developing a strong brand identity encompasses a variety of important factors. However, the more that you think through the creation of your brand identity, the easier it will be for your company to set itself apart and gain greater success.