DIY branding for small business

Let’s keep this simple. Branding is about communicating who you are to people who need your product or service. As a small business you may feel like you are under resourced with no marketing budget and no marketing know-how but let’s stop you there. Small businesses are now able to communicate with consumers directly, instantly and intimately. Digital platforms have opened the doors and eroded the barriers for small businesses and we see them doing this in a way that large organisations can only emulate. Undoubtedly, small businesses have more flexibility and agility when it comes to wining the bid for quicker and stronger consumer engagement.

Large corporations spending enough money to feed small nations in the race to find an authentic brand often fall short. Multinational organisations who we think should have the resources to have it all together can be just as unclear as the rest of us. They are fighting their way through saturated markets struggling to get their brand to stand out, struggling to differentiate their product or service from their competitors.

At the end of the day if you have product or service that fulfills a need then you’re on the right track. It sounds so simple but at Liv By Design we are all about simplicity and there is nothing stopping you from developing your own brand strategy.

The key to innovation is uncovering a need and meeting it in new creative ways. The key to a great brand strategy is being able to communicate the benefits of what you provide quickly, consistently and creatively. Let’s start with some critical thinking tasks to get you started.

1. Find your tone.
What’s your emotional connection with your customers and how does your brand make people feel? This can guide you as to your tone of voice and the language you use. Remember to let your personality shine through but be mindful of your audience. The wrong language can isolate you from their selection process quickly.

If your still not sure think about your market positioning in relation to your competitors. What do you offer that’s better or different and how can you tell people that?

2. Define your brand story.
What makes your organisation unique? How did you get started? Why did you start your business? In the famous words of Simon Sinek ‘people buy why you do what you do, not what you do or how you do it’.

3. Make it quick.
Do you have a value proposition? A value proposition will help you succinctly summarise your offering in a few seconds, it’s essentially your elevator pitch. Include this in your marketing collateral, your website and your conversations with clients. The key to an effective value proposition is to maintain the focus on the consumer benefits of what you deliver and try to keep it short and sweet.

4. State your intentions.
Purpose is a buzz word right now but defining your organisations purpose can build trust with potential clients/consumers and help engage them. Create the mission, vision and values for your business and use this as your teams compass in day to day decision making and communicate it to your customers to help them understand who you are and why you exist.

5. Don’t go it alone.
One of the greatest assets you have as a small business is your people. Give them the opportunity to help you brainstorm and workshop your branding strategy. With the right structure you can unlock your team’s creativity and develop a brand strategy that may reignite your business.

We love talking strategy. If you’d like some more guidance and information on how to plan a branding workshop or where to start give us a call we’d love to chat.