Brand perception does matter. But what is more important is how you create and position that perception among your customers. Studies have shown that 75% of purchase decisions are based on emotion. The organizations that place value-over-price considerations to win hearts are usually armed with a well-defined, genuinely likeable brand. The benefits of defining your organization’s values, voice, and market placement can include increased profits, and better customer and employee retention. Here are some effective ways to begin defining your organization, or jumpstart your current branding efforts:

• 7 Basic Branding Rules For Small Businesses Business
• 7 Basic Branding Rules For Small Businesses Use
• 7 Basic Branding Rules For Small Businesses Near Me

1. Be Authentic

A well-branded organization has the ability to be recognized, earn loyalty, and define themselves within their market. However, your efforts to brand your organization won’t get far if they’re not authentic. Don’t try to cast your brand as luxury if you serve price-sensitive customers. Avoid being too “fun” if your ideal customers tend to be more serious. You’ll struggle to deliver the right consistency across platforms if your brand persona is nothing more than a facade.

Britain’s first weeks outside of the EU have been mixed, as products from large companies mainly sailed through ports while many small businesses struggled with the new rules governing trade. 5 Small business branding guidelines. The biggest branding challenge most small businesses face is finding the time to define their brand and to develop a set of brand guidelines. Here are 5 small business branding guidelines to help you think about your brand. Small business branding guideline 1: State your business mission.

2. Build From the Inside-Out

When it comes to branding, who knows the rules better than Sakura, our very own Brand Director! If you’re looking for a brand refresher or you’re just starting out, take these branding guidelines into consideration! Your logo is going to be the first impression of your business. The Branding Game 9 Branding Rules to Live By. In an effort to succeed in this challenging economy, small business owners must effectively manage their brands. Remember, for many of them, there.

Consumers trust their friends and families’ opinions far more than even your owned media assets. That’s why every effort to brand your business should include thought toward building a tribe, who will spread your word organically and with a healthy dose of authenticity.

In Fast Company, Mitch Baranowski recommends starting your branding efforts with the people closest to you, which will most likely be your employees, your existing supporters, and their friends. By building excitement around your message with the people who already know and love your brand, the word will spread much more quickly.

3. Define Your Archetype

While the concept of archetypes may have been defined by famed psychologist Carl Jung, the idea is nearly as old as time. Throughout fables and parables, novels and folklore, there are recognizable types of characters that pop up again and again. This tactic’s been used successfully by more major brands than you probably realize. Microsoft is the boy (or girl) next door, while Apple is the visionary. Taco Bell is a jester, while Volvo is something of a caregiver.

While a basic archetype doesn’t need to control your brand’s entire identity, figuring out where you fit into the classic narrative can significantly streamline your process of creating a compelling brand story.

4. Be Relatable

Virtually everyone knows their company should be relatable, but too few understand what that really means. As author Lewis Howes points out, the heart of the issue here is really empathy. The world’s most relatable brands have made it their mission to understand their customers problems, and focus on being the de facto solution. That’s why Nike represents athletic triumph, and Geico represents price-sensitivity. Know your buyer personas, and be their solution.

5. Market to Your Customers

If your current content marketing strategy doesn’t include outreach efforts for your existing customers, you’re losing fabulous potential. Remind your clients who you are, and how you fit into their unique lifestyle, in order to remain both top-of-mind and avoid being forgettable. Strategist Daniel Tay highlights the fact that truly epic brands aren’t built overnight, but more usually over decades with the help of consistent efforts.

6. Be Honest About What You Don’t Do Well

Regardless of what makes your brand unique, your values need to include authenticity, which is enhanced by honesty. Know what your company doesn’t do well, and focus on enhancing your strengths, instead. Successful beauty entrepreneur Ido Leffler says this very tactic is among their biggest successes to date, and it doesn’t end with focusing their marketing communications on their strengths. “When things go bad you have to be honest about the reality and do everything humanly possible to fix it.”

7. Give Back

Even if your organization doesn’t have a non-profit or humanitarian bent, engaging your community in positive and altruistic ways can be an incredible branding action. Whether you choose to donate a portion of your profits or sponsor employee-led volunteer outreach, it’s more than just good PR. Community service can enhance your customer’s perception of your brand, and improve your ability to leverage your employees as brand ambassadors. Studies by RealizedWorth have found that corporate social responsibility programs improve employee engagement and loyalty.

Have you defined your businesses’ unique brand? Share your favorite tips and tactics in the comments!

Hey! It’s Roz-O! How Are Ya?

I wanted to share a few more Branding Tips with you! I mean, you can never have too many strategies. The key is to find what works for your business and brand.

Just never skip the basics! Branding is a passion for me, and it’s what my clients come to me for repeatedly, so expect to see a ton of content on the subject!

If you haven’t already, check out the below articles on branding:

7 Branding Terms To Know!
7 Essential Online Personal Branding Strategies!

7 Basic Branding Rules For Small Businesses Business

We all want and NEED a strong brand! Creating a great experience for our clients and potential clients is key! Your constant goals should be to: communicate what you and what your company does, how you do it, why you do it and to build trust and credibility during this entire process! Sound like a lot? It shouldn’t. If you’re staying true to yourself and your values all this should come naturally.

A common problem for small businesses and personal brands like digital influencers and creatives on the rise is having a small budget. This should never hold you back! Got a phone? A laptop? Then you are GOLDEN!

The Below 7 Tips Can Help Get You Started:

• Be Different – Think Different. The key is to stand out. The best way to do that? BE YOU! As they say, nobody can be YOU, that is your power! Use it.
• Focus on Building Your Community. Your community is your tribe. Social Media is your best friend. Choose your channel(s) and build! Be strategic, engage, entertain and award your key supporters.
• Offer Amazing Products & Services. Whatever you offer (tangible product, digital product, a service, etc) it should offer value to your audience. That should be coupled with top-notch customer relations. Create an experience, but have a great product attached to that experience!
• Mind Your Presence! Have a Great Logo + Brand Name. All strong brands are memorable and easy to recognize. You don’t want to blend in. Take the time to craft your brand properties and assure it’s EVERYWHERE!
• Find Your Voice. This is SO important! To know yourself is to know your voice. For an audience to know you, is to know your brand message, your personality and what makes you unique! Take some of your favorite brands for example. What is it that you like about their voice?
• Consistency is KING! You can’t be all over the place. Some small businesses tend to change their approach depending on the platform. Not good! Be consistent when presenting your brand to the world, on whatever platform — on and offline. You don’t trust someone if they aren’t consistent, do you? Be consistent in delivering value. Be consistent in empowering your audience. Just be consistent.
• And this brings me to #7 … Keep Your Promises! Your word is your bond! A brand’s #1 priority is to build trust. If they can’t trust you, why would they buy whatever you’re selling? Why would they refer you?

I hope this helps! What other tips would you add? Have any of these worked for you? Would you like me to expand on any of these in a blog post?

Let me know!

7 Basic Branding Rules For Small Businesses Use

xo

Be sure to check out Hire Roz-O page! Get your Life Audit and Brand Audit and prepare yourself for even more success in all areas of your life! xo

7 Basic Branding Rules For Small Businesses Near Me

Be inspired. Be informed. Be Great.