As a small business owner, branding is an important aspect of building and growing your company. Your brand identity, messaging, and customer experience all play a role in how your business is perceived by potential customers. Here are some key terms to understand and consider as you work to improve your small business branding efforts this next year!
Brand identity
This refers to the visual elements (such as your logo, color scheme, and font choices) that represent your brand and make it unique. Take the time to develop a strong brand identity that accurately reflects your business and appeals to your target audience. If you are interested in learning more about colors, download my FREE color theory guide here. If you want to know more about fonts, get my FREE resource guide here.
Brand MESSAGING
This includes the language and tone you use when communicating with your customers and the values and benefits you want to convey about your brand. Your brand messaging should be consistent across all channels and clearly convey what makes your business unique. These can be key words you use consistently and the candor of how you communicate in person and off-line.
TARGET AUDIENCE
Knowing who your ideal customers (couples) are will help you tailor your branding efforts to appeal to them and attract their business. Take the time to research and understand your target audience of today, so you can create branding that speaks to their needs and interests in the way you position content, showcase photos that resonate and the ways in which you organize your process.
POSITIONING
This is how your brand is perceived in relation to your competitors. Establishing a clear positioning helps you stand out and be memorable to your target audience. Consider what makes your business unique and how you can differentiate yourself from the competition. Use that information as a bright light. I want you to stand out, not blend in. Your uniqueness will take you far and make you profitable.
CONSISTENCY
Maintaining consistent branding across all channels (such as your website, social media accounts, and physical/digital storefront) helps build trust and recognition with your audience. Make sure that all of your branding elements (including colors, fonts, and primary imagery) are consistent and cohesive. We remember things we have seen 60,000x faster than text so leverage repetition.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
Customer experience: The overall experience a customer has with your brand, from their first impression to post-purchase follow-up, can impact their perception of your brand and their likelihood for a 5-star review and referral. Make sure to focus on providing a positive customer experience at every touchpoint.
STORYTELLING & “ABOUT US”
Your “About Page” is the second most visited website page after the Homepage. Using storytelling techniques (such as sharing the history of your company, your passion and uniqueness and showing imagery of you and your team) can help create a strong emotional connection with your audience and make your brand more memorable. Consider how you can incorporate storytelling into your branding efforts on your website and social media.
By understanding and implementing these key branding concepts, you can set your small business up for success and build a strong, memorable brand in the year ahead!
P.S. If you feel unsure about any of these concepts above, let’s hop on a 15-minute complimentary call to ensure you feel confident with how you’re putting your brand out there!