Startup Success

How a small businesscan build their brand

An effective brand forms the identity of your company, and is built on the core values of the business. It will provoke an emotional response from your customers, and will help your business to form long lasting customer relationships.

A brand should be a fundamental element of your business

A CompanyBrand

FundamentalStart with one in mind

Your voiceMore than a company name

First stepSet of in positive direction

Branding is often something that new businesses try to tack on once they are up and running, using it as a face for their customers. An effective brand forms the identity of your company, and is built on the core values of the business. It will provoke an emotional response from your customers, and will help your business to form long lasting customer relationships.

1

A brand is far more than a company name, logo, or tagline, although these are important elements. Your brand encompasses the voice you use to communicate, the way you interact with your customers, the design of your products and services, the style of advertising you choose, and a whole host of other elements that make up the identity of your business.

2

Determining your brand is one of the first steps to take when setting up a new business, and will help you to drive the business forward in a positive, well-defined direction. When you’re exploring your brand it helps to think of your business as a person. Their individual characteristics work together to form the brand.

3

Defining Your Brand

Ask yourself the questions opposite about your business persona:

The answers to all of these questions will help you to build up a picture of your business persona that can be used to define your brand. There are certain characteristics that work together to create an effective brand.

What do they look like?

What do they sound like?

What do they do for a living?

What need do they fulfil in others?

What are their beliefs and values?

What makes them different?

Who are their friends?

Where do they come from?

A Successful Brand is Consistent

Consistency is vital for successful branding, and your brand needs to be at the centre of everything your business does. If you start to lose sight of your brand, it will become diluted and will have less impact with your customers. You don’t need to continually repeat the same message to your customers; the message can change as long as the values behind it stay the same.

A Successful Brand isAuthentic

An authentic brand will resonate with customers, whereas they will easily be able to see through a glossy façade. Be honest about what your business is and what it stands for, otherwise you will find it hard to keep up the pretence of trying to be something you’re not. If you’re a small business don’t be tempted to mimic the branding of an international corporation but embrace the benefits of being a personal or local company. The core values that make up your brand should be something you’re truly passionate about.

A Successful Brand is Unique

Daring to be different is a feature of many successful brands. While it’s certainly a safe option to see what your competitors are doing and stick with that, you’ll never really stand out unless your brand is completely unique. As a new business you have the opportunity to address gaps in the market that nobody else is filling, so don’t be afraid to innovate.

A Successful Brand isMemorable

Nothing is more effective than word of mouth marketing, so one of the purposes of your brand is to inspire people to talk about you and recount their experiences with your business.

A number of elements that make your brand unique

Take the time to work out what these are and brief your graphic designer accordingly

Evoke and emotional response

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