For the past few years, Forbes has named Apple, Google, and Microsoft the top leading brands in the world. Like most people, I am sure you were picturing their logos as you simultaneously read this statistic. If this is the case, you have successfully exhibited brand recognition with these multibillion-dollar companies.
Although the mentioned companies have many financial resources to help build a positive brand image, it is not to say that a small business cannot do the same. Based on our experience, we have found that small businesses either do not understand the importance of a brand or believe that their product represents the brand itself. However, building a brand around your product is essential in conveying a business’s message. To understand this dilemma better, we have provided some common questions received from clients about branding.
“Is it too late to create a brand?”
Branding impacts all aspects of a business, regardless of the age of your business. If you have been in business for a few years, there is a high chance that you have created an accidental brand. An accidental brand occurs when a company unconsciously designs a brand based on the established characteristics of the business. For example, your company may be known for its convenience, authenticity, quality, or customer service. You can use these qualities to your advantage by delivering a consistent brand promise that conveys your company’s mission. If successful, your business can achieve positive brand equity.
“What does a brand need besides a logo?”
While a logo helps gain brand recognition, there are many more aspects that can help create a brand. In fact, a brand’s identity is what truly helps a brand gain its presence. These characteristics can include a company’s color palette, font, tagline, tone, or perceived value. Nevertheless, we have noticed that most small businesses don’t pay attention to these details when establishing their brand identity. When branding for a client, the Absolute Marketing Solutions team does extensive research on the meanings of colors, fonts, and shapes before producing multiple examples to present to our clients. Depending on their feedback, we may have to restart the entire process. This method seems tedious now, but it is understood that a logo can be a company’s most valuable intangible asset.
“I need social media marketing, not branding…”
Branding is part of everything you do in a business; therefore, your brand should influence your company’s culture and content. For instance, our Social Media Manager works hard to mimic our client’s brand when creating content for social media. These details include the caption, emojis, filter, and pictures she chooses to post. In many cases, we have found that consistency provokes interest and following on social media. Without an established brand, customers may get confused about what your company is trying to deliver.
“Isn’t promotion the same thing as branding?”
In short, the answer is no! Promotion is a form of marking communication in which the publicization of a product, organization, or venture increases sales or public awareness. The most successful form of promotion pushes branded products towards consumers. One of our clients, Eddie and Sam’s NY Pizza, has a popular style of pizza that is crafted with authentic New York water. This factor is an advantage for Eddie and Sam’s that pulls customers in to taste their product. When we recently created coupons for them, many consumers were already aware of the brand, and therefore, utilized this form of promotion. In the end, this promotion would not have been as successful if Eddie and Sam’s had not established the proper branding before the campaign.
As you can see, a business’s brand takes time to establish and should be professionally crafted. As a small business, a recognizable and preferred brand is essential when building awareness, esteem, and loyalty.
If you have any questions about branding or logo design, please contact one of our experts at Absolute Marketing Solutions.
A brand being grown and maintained.
Consumers care deeply about endorsements made by their peers and will listen to their friends if they show love of a brand. However, your employees posting content about your restaurant on your behalf might make you nervous. In fact, the first thing you may have thought when reading this blog was, “doesn’t that put control of my brand into the hands of someone else?” Yes, and no. It has been said that branding is what people say about you after you’ve left the room, and in this way, having employees as social media advocates can be the biggest brand endorsement yet. You may own your restaurant, but your customers and your employees create your brand.
For instance, some of the most inspirational personality archetypes include the Explorer – brands such as Jeep, GoPro, and Red Bull encompass the philosophy that “where’s there’s a will, there’s a way.” Other successful archetypes that have a profound effect on consumers are the Hero archetype. Think of brands such as Nike, TAG Heuer, the brands that let consumers overcome obstacles, slay dragons, and bring out the best in themselves and others.
