Small Business Branding - How To Do It [And Examples]

No matter what type of small business you’re running, it’s vital that you take the time to understand the importance of creating a solid brand.

According to small business experts, people don’t buy products; they buy brands.

Essentially, the more effort you put into your small business branding, the more likely consumers will see your business as a real, authentic, and genuine entity, rather than just another cold, stone-faced business trying to make another sale.

Below, we’re looking at small business branding and how to do it, including examples from leading brands!

Start With Research

No matter what sort of small business you own, the first step is to perform a bit of market research and learn about your competitors and your target audience.

While analyzing your direct and indirect competitors, make sure to note as much as you can about their branding efforts, including what type of content they create, their brand voice, their brand story, their target audience, and anything else that might help you complete your brand.

When it comes to learning about your target audience, creating buyer personas is the best way to do this. A buyer persona is, essentially, a semi-fictional representation of people who are most likely to interact and engage with your brand.

For example, if you owned a company selling sporting goods, your buyer personas would likely include information about younger male consumers who are most likely interested in sports.

However, while younger males would most likely be part of your target audience, that doesn’t mean that older males or even females wouldn’t be interested in your brand.

Regardless, market research will ensure that your branding efforts have the most impact possible on your industry by knowing who your target audience is and what sort of things they’re interested in.

Logos, Graphics, And Marketing

When people think of branding, one of the first things they think of is a logo.

Even though logos usually only consist of basic imagery or writing, they can significantly impact your business.

In other words, the logos and graphics you choose for your small business represent the way people will see and perceive your brand. And despite their small size, they speak volumes for your company.

Take a look at other leading companies and the logos they’ve created to get ideas about what type of logo you can make for your own business.

The FedEx logo is a sterling example of a logo that’s memorable and has a hidden image in it. 

For those who are unaware, the FedEx logo has a hidden arrow you can see in between the

letter E and X, which is perfectly representative of a company that delivers parcels from one location to another!

Regardless of what type of logo you choose for your small business, make sure to include it on your website, business cards, social media pages, and any other relevant marketing materials you create.

Check out Business Cards to create printable business cards for free.

Focus On Creating Award-Winning Products

It might seem obvious, but no brand ever became a success by selling sub-par products or delivering poor-quality customer service!

When you think of brands like Apple, what first comes to mind?

If you’re like most people, you probably think of super-fast computers, iPhones, iPads, and other expertly-created devices that consumers simply love

Because of the excellent, high-quality products they create, Apple doesn’t need to do all that much in terms of advertising. Their products speak for themselves!

So if you want your branding to resonate with consumers, logos and graphics are essential, but creating a super high-quality product is even more important!

Small Business Branding 101

There’s a bit more to branding than market research and knowing what FedEx and Apple are doing.

However, learning about your competitors and taking notes from leading brands is a great place to start when it comes to creating a brand that’s sure to resonate with your target audience!