Whether you’ve just started a brand new small business, or you have an existing company that needs a refresh, establishing a brand should be a top priority. A strong brand can give your company an identity that differentiates you from competitors and makes your small business unique. 

With so many businesses operating in the same market, it can be challenging to create a strong brand without spending a lot of money on branding consultants and marketing gurus. 

However, creating your own brand doesn’t have to be difficult. Let’s take a look at how you can establish a solid brand identity that gives your company an edge over the competition.

What Is a Brand?

A brand is the sum total of all the experiences a customer has when engaging with a business. When someone sees your brand, they’re likely to make assumptions about the quality of your product, the prices, and how you treat customers. 

Establishing your brand goes beyond the name of your company and the slogan that you use in your marketing materials. It involves developing an overarching philosophy about your business that extends across every interaction your customers have with your company.

Decide on Your Company’s Identifying Qualities

Before starting to develop a brand, you need to decide what your company’s identifying qualities and core values are. They will help your customers understand what your business is all about and why they should choose to buy from you. 

It’s essential to stand out. Avoid borrowing marketing ideas from your competitors. Instead, focus on what makes your company unique. 

Finally, while you want to offer something that customers want, it’s also important to avoid making your product or service too narrow. If you’re only appealing to a small segment of the population, you won’t be able to grow your business very quickly.

Define Your Audience

Once you’ve decided what your company’s identifying qualities are, you need to understand who you’re trying to appeal to with your brand. This will help you develop a marketing strategy that focuses on appealing to that audience.

To determine who you’re targeting with your brand, start by asking yourself these questions: 

• What type of person uses your product or service? 
• What are their frustrations and how does your product or service solve them? 
• What do they like to do in their spare time?

Create a Name That Represents It All

After you’ve decided on the identity of your brand and have a good idea of who you’re trying to appeal to, you can start thinking about the company name. Ideally, you want a name that encapsulates the feelings that your customers have when they use your product or service. 

A few rules of thumb to follow when naming your business: 

• Avoid being too vague. 
• Pick a name that’s easy to pronounce. 
• Avoid trendy or obscure names. 
• Make sure there’s no one else using the same name as you.

Establish your visual brand presence

Once you’ve decided on a name for your company, the next step is to establish your visual brand presence. This includes a wide range of elements, from the color scheme to the type of paper your business cards are printed on. 

With the internet being such a central part of our lives, a strong visual brand presence is more important than ever before. Favicon design is a pivotal focus for enhancing your visual brand. Your digital presence is one of the first interactions customers have with your small business.

When you’re designing your visual brand presence, try to keep these tips in mind: 

• Stay consistent. Make sure all your visuals follow the same theme and don’t introduce too many new elements at once. 
• Make sure everything about your visual brand is relevant to your company. 
• Stay focused. A cluttered website, social media page, or favicon can confuse customers and make it harder for them to find what they’re looking for. 

Summing Up

Establishing a brand is an in depth process that requires a great deal of self-reflection and creativity. It’s important to explore different design options and settle on a visual brand that truly represents your small business. 

While developing your brand can be challenging and time-consuming, it’s an investment that’s worth making. A strong brand can help you stand out from the competition, generate positive word of mouth, and increase the number of repeat customers that you have. 

Establishing a strong brand is essential for any business looking to grow and thrive.