8 Can't-Miss Branding Tips for Small Businesses

How important is branding for your small business?

Opening up shop and creating ads for your company will drive traffic. But it's not going to give you the traction needed to grow your business long-term.

That's because you need to build a reputation for your small business so you can gain trust and loyalty. That's exactly what branding instills (or at least it should). 

So we're going to dive into what branding is and the best tips you can use to establish and improve your digital presence in 2020.

Let's dig in.

What is Branding (and Why's it Important for Small Business)?

It takes five to seven impressions for a person to remember your brand. That requires some consistent branding, wouldn't you say?

Think of every brand you've ever done business with, along with the ads and marketing methods they used to build awareness.

Chances are, you can list about 20 off the top of your head. This is possible because the branding used for these companies was memorable and resonated with you.

For example, McDonald's uses jingles, savory visuals of food and low prices to drive folks to their business. And for decades, this worked.

Many other restaurants, retailers and even insurance agencies try to be outside of the box (think Aaron Rodgers' State Farm commercials).

Of course, you don't have to spend hundreds of thousands on a celebrity for your branding. There are various ways you can be impressive without breaking your budget.

So put simply:

Branding is the messaging, look, voice and feel of your company, which you'll portray in all of the content and media you produce.

So it must represent your company (and its audience) adequately. When done right, you can grow your recognition, trust and revenue.

So let's look at what you need to be doing with your branding in 2020.

1. Establish Your Brand Story

Storywriting is for fiction authors...right?

Not necessarily. Today's marketing relies heavily on storytelling because it enables brands to connect with their audience.

People's minds are hardwired to pay attention to a great story. So if you can tell your company's story in a way that's engaging, interesting and relatable, then you'll win them over more quickly.

So how do you create your brand story?

Start by looking at all of your accomplishments. Are you a small business owner who struggled to get where you are? Or maybe you have a knack for helping people through their problems?

It can be something you "do" outside of selling your product/service that speaks of what you represent.

2. Create a Professional Brand Identity

Now, it's time to create your identity. This includes your logo, tagline and colors. This way, when people see it, they immediately recognize your company.

It'll take time for the recognition to sink in, but if you're consistent with your branding, then you'll see results in no time.

To ensure this, you'll need to include your logo in all of your content, including ads, infographics, brochures, videos and other branded imagery.

3. Research Your Competitors (and Stay Ahead)

Knowing what your competitors are doing can help you see what you're doing wrong (or right). It's not a bad idea to emulate others in your industry who are doing well.

And to refrain from repeating the same mistakes some have made.

But whatever you do, don't copy. Just use this research for inspirational purposes. Maybe you'll see that customers find their particular story appealing. Try to understand why so you can attempt to do something similar.

4. Ignore Flaky Trends Like the Plague

It's tempting to jump aboard branding trends because they do so well. But the results don't last long.

Going out of your way to join in a trend can be detrimental to your branding, especially if it goes against your core values.

For instance, if you're brand is professional and authoritative, then it'd be odd to see your company on Instagram doing a wonky challenge.

So be sure that all of your branding initiatives stay true to your brand's voice, tone and vision.

And this brings us to our next point...

5. Be Consistent with Your Branding

Every piece of content and media you produce for your company should follow your brand's guidelines. Again, you don't want to partake in something that goes against the values of your brand.

Once you identify your company's voice, tone and personality, then it has to emanate through all of your marketing messages.

Otherwise, consumers will catch on and call your brand out for having an identity crisis.

6. Don't Be Afraid to Be Unique

Having a differentiator is critical if you want to stand out from your competition. After all, why should consumers shop with you over the next company (especially if they're cheaper)?

Sometimes, it's not about price -- it's about the experience. Consumers want to engage with and purchase from brands they can relate to.

So if your brand has a fun and whimsical personality, then it'll win over customers better than competitors who are boring and stuffy.

7. Build Your Online Platform

If you're going to shout from the rooftops to spread the word about your business, then make sure you're standing on the right platforms.

The internet makes it easy to gain visibility for your company. But that's only if you're using mediums your audience frequents.

To start, learn which social media networks they like the most. Then you can create business profiles and begin sharing posts (information trumps promotions) and engaging with your audience.

Then you can venture into writing guest blog posts for sites your audience enjoys reading. This is an excellent way to ge in front of the people that matter most to your business.

8. Know What You're Customers Are Saying About You

You're selling products and services left and right. But does this equate to success? Not if you're not turning customers into repeat business.

It's a good idea to use your listening skills (and tools) to find out what your customers are saying. In fact, you can direct the chatter to a platform you can control -- Google My Business.

Claim your listing on here and other business directories and ask your customers to leave feedback and ratings there. This way, you can both get reviews.

It'll also help you understand what you're doing right and what needs improvement.

Be More than a Brand -- Become a Personality

One of the best things you can do for your branding is to give it a human personality. Brands like Old Spice, Apple, Amazon and Red Bull are nailing this time and time again.

To make your branding personable and trustworthy, you'll need to focus on being authentic, memorable and valuable. It's hard to disregard a company if they're offering the best tips, advice, information and guides to make their lives easier.

So get out there and start putting your branding to work (and just maybe you'll stand out enough to steal customers from competitors)!