Branding Your Business and Promoting Your Brand

Branding is just as important for small businesses as it is for big names – but what does it mean? 

Branding is a way of defining your business to yourself, your team and your target audiences. It could be called the business’ “identity”, because it embodies the core of what the business is and its values, not just what it looks and sounds like. Customers of all sorts of businesses are so savvy today that they can see through most attempts by companies to gloss, spin or charm their way to sales.

The benefits that a strategically-defined brand can bring are the same as when people fall in love with each other. When customers connect emotionally — because they share the same values and beliefs of a brand — it leads to higher sales and better brand differentiation. It also leads to loyalty, advocacy and can even protect your price in times when competitors rely on promotional discounts to drive sales. It can also give you the ideal platform from which to extend your offering or range.

Before you can effectively promote your brand, you need to understand it and be passionate about it.  

Keep these tips in mind when developing your brand:

1.   Define your brand.

Review the product or service your business offers, pinpoint the space in the market it occupies and research the emotive and rational needs and concerns of your customers. 

2.   When building your brand, think of it as a person.

Every one of us is an individual whose character is made up of beliefs, values and purposes that define who we are and who we connect with. Your business’ brand should encapsulate its character.

3.   Consider what is driving your business.

What does it believe in, what is its purpose and who are the target audiences?

4.   Aim to build long-term relationships with your customers.

Don’t dress up your offering and raise expectations that result in broken promises. Create trust with honest branding — be clear who your company is and be true to the values that drive it every day.

5.   Speak to your customers with a consistent tone of voice.

It will help reinforce the business’ character and clarify its offering so customers are aware exactly what to expect from the product or service.

6.   Don't repeat the same message in the same way over and over again. 

Alternatively, aim to make your key messages work together to build a coherent identity. 

7.   Don’t try to mimic the look of chains or big brands.

Carve out your own identity. There is a big consumer trend toward independent establishments, and several chains are trying to mimic an independent feel to capture some of that market.

8.   Be innovative, bold and daring – stand for something you believe in.

Big brands are encumbered by large layers of bureaucracy, preventing them from being flexible and reacting to the ever-changing needs of their customers. Those layers of decision-makers can make it hard for them to be daring with their branding.

9.   Always consider your branding when communicating with customers.

Don't lose your pride or dilute your brand positioning with indiscriminate discounting. Try offering more, rather than slashing prices. Promotions are an opportunity to reinforce your brand mission.

10.  The old way of stamping your logo on everything won't cut it.

The future of branding is fluid and engaging — respect your customers' intelligence by not giving everything away up front. Generate some intrigue and allow them to unearth more about your brand for themselves. Everyone loves to brag about what THEY have discovered.

Now that you have defined and developed your brand, it’s time to promote it.

Have a powerful presence physically
If you want to build up your reputation in the world, the first step is to make sure people see you. Advertise in places people will see, that makes sense for your business. Make sure that your company and your employees are present at important events where there are opportunities to promote your enterprise. No one can promote a brand by being invisible, so make sure to get out there and let yourself and your business be seen and heard.

Appeal to people intellectually
Think about specific questions people might have about your business and how you can provide logical, honest answers. Ask yourself questions like the following:

• What sets you apart from your competitors?
• What image do you give off to the community?
• What unique opinions do you have to share with the outside world?

Consumers today are smart. Win people’s brains in addition to their hearts.

Promote content on social media
Social media is a great tool for branding your business. In addition to using the sites for straightforward promotional messages, you can also use social media for promoting content that has something interesting to say about your industry. If you share information that’s relevant and compelling, people will follow you.  In turn, more people will become loyal to your business. 

Consumers will notice if you have a smart approach to social media.  They will also notice if you DON’T have a presence on social media.  Find the sites that are most appropriate for your business.  Not everyone needs to use Instagram or Pinterest.  If you’re unsure of what social media strategy to use, get help from a professional.

Don’t steal the show
While it’s important to be active on social media to establish your brand, there is such a thing as being too involved. You don’t want to spam people by promoting too much content. Being overwhelmed with information will turn people off, and you don’t want to be known for promoting yourself too much. Let the marketing wing of your company handle the job. You might be in charge, but you are only one person, and it’s good to share the spotlight when possible.  This frees up your time to do what you do best – running your business.

In order to brand your business effectively, you want to prove that you have staying power. Think about your business and where it’s headed in the future. What are you doing to embrace future trends in the business world? Will people still identify with your brand in five years? What about in 10, or 20? Your promotional message should be one of long-term potential. Your goal is not only to service customers’ needs now, but also to earn their loyalty for the long haul.

Remember, branding isn’t just for businesses – it’s for individuals too!  If you or someone you know needs help differentiating themselves from others in their field, contact us today.  Visit www.stonekingconsulting.com for more information on how we can help you strategically brand and marketing your business!