Small business branding is a crucial part of making sure your company gets noticed. When you own a small business, you usually wear many hats: CEO, accountant, head of marketing, etc. All of these jobs are yours to manage when you’re starting out, and it can be challenging to be a whiz at all of them at once. So where should you start?

How Branding Helps Grow Your Business

Branding is easiest when you’ve decided what your company is all about and how you want to show that to the world. Think of it as the face you present to others. Are you helpful and kind? Sassy and smart? Everything you do should reflect that brand, from your website to your products.

Your brand helps grow your business by:

  • Establishing Credibility. Show off your expertise in social media posts, on your blog, and onsite to build trust.
  • Making Emotional Connections. The language and images you use should always reflect your personality and stir up the right feelings in your target audience.
  • Differentiating From the Competition. Your branding should show how you stand out from the rest of the pack. If you have a niche market or special focus, make sure your brand makes that clear.
  • Building Name Recognition. Above all, your branding puts your name out there. Everything you do should make your logo, tagline, and name unforgettable to drive people to your business.

Different Ways to Build Your Brand

So how should you get started? Follow these tried-and-true steps for creating and building your brand.

  • Develop Your Voice. Choose a personality for your business and decide what tone of voice you want to use. Create a mission statement, motto or tagline, and decide what some of your favorite adjectives are to describe what you do. Use this language consistently as you build your brand.
  • Create Buyer Personas. Once you know who you are, it’s time to focus on who your customers are. A buyer persona is a fictional person that represents your ideal customer. Man or woman? Old or young? What do they need? Flesh this out so you’ll know how to talk to them as you further develop your voice.
  • Create a Look and a Logo. Use your branding ideas to help develop a logo that shows your brand in the best light. You can hire a graphic designer or make your own logo — just be sure you love it, because you’ll use it on everything from your webpages and social media account to coupons and office supplies.

Quick Ways to Launch Your Brand

You’ve diligently developed your brand, you love your logo, and you know exactly what you want to say to your customers. Now what? Here’s how to make your branding work for you.

  • Embrace Social Media. Social media is a great way to get the word out about your products and services, but you have to be diligent about keeping up with it. Twitter is a great choice for beginners because it takes no time at all. Instagram is perfect if your brand is heavily image-oriented.
  • Get Those Flyers Out. The internet is here to stay, but paper isn’t dead! Develop a high-quality flyer that includes your logo and lists your products and services. Use them for mailers, handouts and more to grow local name recognition for your small business.
  • Put Your Brand in Their Hand. Invest in ballpoint pens that you customize with your brand. Keep these handy at the register for people to use when they sign their credit card receipts. These also make great handouts for kids — and anyone else who asks to keep one!
  • Dress the Part. Uniforms may not be your style, but a branded t-shirt or custom baseball cap is the perfect way to advertise your brand. These are inexpensive to provide to your employees, and they’re versatile enough to wear around town. Sell extras onsite!

The trick to effective branding is consistency. Once you’ve settled on the look and feel of your brand, be sure to carry it across all of your published material, from business cards to blog posts. Layer in some branded giveaway items for extra flair, and you’re well on your way to solid name recognition for your small business.