Are you struggling as a small business? Are you trying to increase sales and bring in more revenue? What about building more loyalty with your existing customers?
When it comes to the struggles of small business most of us are in the same boat. Yep, even your competitors struggle. Heck, even I struggle. You are definitely not alone, just a few short years ago I was in your shoes. I have helped so many women entrepreneurs who were struggling to build their brand but didn’t know where to start. Did you know that most of these struggles can be fixed or solved by simply creating consistent branding?
Consistent branding that reflects the purpose of your business can go a long way and solve some of the most common problems small business owners face.
What Is Branding
Before we can define branding we first need to know what a brand is. Everything your customer sees, hears, and feels (emotionally and physically) is your brand. If you sell products your customer can eat or drink then what they taste is also part of your brand. Your brand is created in the minds of your audience. It’s their perception of what your business is, what it does, and how it does it.
So if your brand is what your audience believes to be true of your business then your branding is how you, the business owner, influence those beliefs. Your branding is how you tell your story to your customers to make them feel and believe certain truths about your business. It is also how to grow to trust you.
If you are with a direct sales company – you should be wanting to create your brand even more. What if your company goes under? What if you decide to change companies? What if you decide to leave it all to start your own business? Creating your own brand will allow your audience stay with you when you move in other directions.
How you influence your audience
The ways you influence your audience varies for every business but for the most of us we use:
- Our Visuals – logos, icons, colors, patterns, website, and images are all ways we can use visuals to influence our audience’s perception of our business. I call this visual brand identity. Contact me to help you create your brand identity.
- Our Voice – our mission, vision, and values are another way we can influence our audience to feel a certain way about our brand. Read this post on how to create the voice in your business.
- Our Words – Blog posts, videos, podcasts, and even advertising copy are effective at communicating with our audience and helps influence their thinking of your businesses.
Why Is Branding So Important
Now that you have a good idea of what branding actually is it’s time to learn why it’s so important for your small business to be consistent with your branding. I have came up with these 7 reasons why you need to start branding your business today!
Reason 1. It Tells Your Story
Every great brand tells a story with their branding. Your branding tells your audience who you are, what you do, why you do it, and how your product or service is going to change their life for the better. You will also need to tell the story behind why you created your business, why you created a certain product, a problem you are solving, and why your clients love it so much. Here are 4 compelling stories your brand should be telling!
Reason 2. It Increases Your Value
Strong branding can increase the value of your business because people will be attracted to you and what you represent. When you create a brand and know who your ideal audience, you know exactly who to talk to, how to solve their problems, and how to create value they are searching for. When you have your visual brand identity created your audience can see that you have invested in your brand – which holds more value to them.
Reason 3. Gives You Direction
You need to have a clear direction for your business. A good branding strategy can give you that direction and keep you on track. Branding gives your business the tools to meet the business’s goals. Your branding will lay the foundation for what you do and don’t do as a business.
Reason 4. Promotes Recognition
Okay, so this is a big one. I haven’t met a single small business owner who doesn’t want their name to be recognizable, like Pepsi or Apple. Building a strong branding strategy allows customers to build that recognition. If your branding and brand identity is unique and appeals to your audience they will without a doubt remember it for the next time. We all know when we see that big yellow M driving down the freeway that our favorite fast food place is coming up #goldenarches! You want to create that when someone is scrolling through their social media feed then come across your post and instantly know its your business. Your coloring, logos, typography, graphics and your copy need to be uniform. Contact me to start creating your brand identity.
Reason 5. Emotionally Connects Your Audience
Everything from your font choices to the words you use will create some form of emotional response from your audience. The goal of your branding is to make your audience feel something. You want them to become so emotionally invested in your business that they can’t help but to buy from you. You will attract what you put out, so if you post nothing but negative type post then you will turn away potential customers. Try to keep it positive.
Reason 6. Generates Leads & Increases Revenue
We all want to make money in our business, right? Business owners want to make money but in order to make money you need customers and to get customers you need leads. As a small business owner, you know the power of word of mouth advertising. There’s nothing better than having a client tell a friend or family member how totally awesome your businesses is and how it changed their life. But what happens if your branding isn’t remarkable and they can’t remember your name? Your branding is what sticks in your customer’s minds long after they have done business with you. Blog post will be a way that you will generate leads free leads from Google. Read this post 5 Ways To Market Your Business Through Blogging.
The Blogging Academy is perfect for teaching you how to create passive income blogging and grow your small business.
Reason 7. It Sets You Apart From Your Competitors
Every small business has competition in some form, it’s unavoidable. When you create a unique branding strategy you will set yourself apart from your competition. You will give your business it’s own voice and personality. Give them a reason to like you more than your competitors.
Your branding is rooted in the foundation of your brand. Your mission, vision, values, and purpose will all play a huge role in your branding. Every photo, word, and graphics will convey those messages to your audience and solidify your brand in their minds.
A good solid branding strategy will do a lot for your small business. It can increase your revenue and customer satisfaction. It will help build your brand into a powerhouse that’s instantly recognizable.
Where to next?
- You can sign up for my Free 30 Home Business Affirmation printable and email series.
- Check out The 8 Elements Needed For A Successful Brand
- Check out the Building Your Brand eBook designed to help you create your brand in four days!
- Join The Blogging Academy!
- Join the Facebook Group!
- Check out my services!
- Check out my portfolio!
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