How a Small Business Owner Can Build a Brand

The history of branding began with marking a cow with the insignia of its owner. In today’s terms, a company’s brand is anything that sets it apart from competitors.

In this article, you’ll learn what branding is, which branding practices you can do on your own as a small business owner, which branding practices are better left to a professional, and how you can use branding to get customers.

What Is Branding?

According to the American Marketing Association, a brand is a company's name or look that identifies its products or services as distinct from competitors. Design elements can include logos, web pages, packaging, and even mascots. These visual elements show who you are and offer a unique experience for the customers.

The definition can be expanded further to include several more elements, such as identity, image, personality, and style of communication. You will need to figure out how you want the world to see you and experience your offering.

How To Build Your Brand

To make a brand, you will need to:

• Do market research. Figure out what is it that separates your company from others and develop an engaging and authentic story.

• Write your story. Your brand story should be available on your web pages, including “About Us” pages.

• Develop a strategy. Brainstorm ideas of how to make your brand and imagery unique and memorable, and how to use that to get customers.

• Use graphic design. Hire a graphic designer to help develop attractive images for your brand, such as logos, web page art, and package design.

Once you have figured out the look and personality of your company, you can use your branding in advertising to attract customers. Branding can also be used in the customer experience to make your offering memorable and keep customers coming back.

Get Help From Professionals

Hiring a professional graphic designer allows you to delegate the task of designing your branding visual elements to someone with the skills and talents required to do a great job. They will have the tools to make your vision a reality, such as a powerful computer to handle large PDF files.

Your graphic or web designer will make their initial mock-ups and send them to you for feedback. Designs could take several iterations before final approval. One useful tool is a free PDF editor that allows text, sticky notes, highlights, and even drawings to be added to items in the file for suggestions. This saves you from having to send lengthy emails to the designer about what changes you’d like to see to elements of the design.

Continue Developing and Reach Out

You’ve learned about branding and how that can help your business grow and thrive. From there, allow your brand to grow along with your business.

Starting a small business is no easy feat, especially in the early stages when there may not be mentors available to guide and advise you. For more help, join your local chamber of commerce to network with a community of like-minded business owners.