If you thought branding was just choosing a logo and a color scheme for your company, you’re not alone. A lot of small business owners miss the value of comprehensive branding.
Your small business marketing plan should start with an in-depth discussion of who you are, what you value and what sets you apart from your competitors.
A solid approach to branding ensures that every touchpoint with your customers tells a consistent story about who you are.
Here’s why it’s worth it to start your small business marketing with a foundation in a branding strategy:
It Helps You Be Known: Your brand has a story that tells customers who you are and what you do well. It communicates your values and what makes you stand apart from your competitors.
If that sounds like a lot to tackle in a logo and color scheme, that’s because it is. You need much more. You need a consistent look, feel and sound across your website, social media posts, email marketing and every other communication. It means that if your company takes pride in being a down-to-earth, hometown coffee shop, you’re not going to participate in the highbrow coffee culture language. Every time your customers see your communications, you’re reminding them that you’re the same coffee shop they love for its no-nonsense vibe.
It Builds Trust: Your branding strategy, delivered consistently across everything you do, begins to build a reaction in customers that looks something like this: “Oh, yeah. These guys make great coffee. None of that whipped stuff, and it’s a comfortable place to meet my friends.” You keep repeating your story in different formats and platforms, and it builds a strong identity.
You don’t have to look far to figure out how well this has worked for big corporations. People like to shop at Target or QuikTrip because both offer a clear and consistent experience. You know QuikTrip will have taquitos and Target’s layout is the same in every store.
Your customers want the same consistency from their experiences with your brand. They want to know that your coffee is always brewed strong and that the brownies in the front case are from scratch, never a box. It’s what they tell their friends when encouraging them to come check you out.
Your small business marketing is all about sharing who you are and what makes you special, and it happens through a branding strategy. At SJC Marketing, we specialize in storytelling, and we’re sure yours is going to be one we love to tell again and again.