Blog | Branding Tips for Small Business

Branding is a vital component of business. It is not simply about people choosing a product over the competition, but also, viewing your product as the best solution to their problem. It is about building a long-term relationship with your customers.

Branding begins with having a clear idea of what your company is about. A strong brand tells people what your company is capable of giving them at the same time as establishing trust and credibility. For your business to be long lasting and remain profitable for years to come, you will need to develop a branding process.

From branding company vehicles to updating an old website, we delve into some simple ways small businesses can create a brand that leaves a lasting impression with customers.

How to Create a Brand as a Small Business

Firstly, you need to address some fundamental questions, including the reason you started your company and how you think you’re making the world a better place. You need to consider what long term impression you want to leave in people’s minds regarding your business. Without a clear sense of your purpose, you won’t be able to communicate the uniqueness and importance of your company.

It is important to develop a strong brand identity, and therefore activities that you need to carry out should include:

• Determining the company’s mission statement and values
• Deciding on the look, feel, and voice of the brand
• Implementing strategies to establish a brand identity

No matter how strongly you build your brand identity or how visually appealing it is, for your small business to succeed, you must have enough customers to buy your products or services. Therefore, it is important to take time to examine your target customers. Having a clear idea of the expected customer base increases the chances of your company’s success.

Once you have completed your brand examination, namely knowing who you are, the expectations of customers, defining goals and understanding what’s going on in the industry, it’s time to design your brand!

Simple Branding Tips

Brand design involves creating the name, logo, design, and the symbolic elements related to the brand in order to create a distinctive identity compared to the other brands in the market.

The brand design needs to be exclusive and the design components need to have the expression of this and a oneness, including the following:

• Logo
• Tagline
• Stickers
• E-mail Signature
• Website
• Social media pages
• Staff Uniforms
• Business Cards
• Brochures and leaflets
• Hoardings and Billboards
• Packaging

The overall brand design needs to be fully aligned to complement and communicate the brand values, objectives, ethos, and fundamentals of the company.

The selection of colour, typography, message, story, and the design strategy, overall, should reflect the personality of the business and the products/services on offer. Having a unique and aesthetically designed brand helps get noticed and ensure your business is rememberable. Whether it’s someone seeing a branded vehicle or a post on social media – having copy, a logo and tag lines that are clear and simple will help achieve this.

Getting Your Brand Seen

Branding Company Vehicles

For small businesses, getting existing vehicles branded can be a simple way to increase awareness of your business. There are various options available (contact us here at Lakeside for personal recommendations). From magnetic signs stuck to the side of the van, partial or full vinyl wraps, or individual adhesive lettering, all of which can include some form of reflective – there are many options to suit your requirements.

Graphics and graphics reflective products can be printed directly onto the vinyl film, which is then applied to the van. If your branding changes or you want to sell the vehicle, you can simply peel the wrap off. Vinyl wraps also protect paintwork against scratches, chips and grazes and can therefore enhance the resale value.

For more on vehicle wraps visit our brand enhancement services here at Lakeside to see our digitally printable reflective vehicle products for brand enhancement.

Social Media

Social media is an excellent platform for branding. Consumers often rely on digital platforms to find businesses, so by establishing a strong social media presence it helps your business to increase its visibility online and the likelihood of being seen by your target audience. Sustaining a social media presence requires you to post engaging articles and content online about your business frequently.

Website

Any business, large or small, is expected to have a website. Just like a business card, a website describes your level of professionalism and the credibility of your company. The majority of people go online to check the competence of a business to know how trustworthy they are before transacting with them. This means having a modern website that reflects your branding is vital.

Brochures

Brochures, leaflets and other documents can be a great way to enhance your brand by including your logo, colours, and styling to such marketing material. These documents can be used for a variety of purposes and reflect your brand imagery and promise. This can be particularly effective at trade shows or distributing to potential customers.

Stickers

Stickers are a brilliant way to brand a business and perhaps the most creative. Branded stickers can be fixed to anything, from cars and vehicles to products and accessories.

Learn More About Lakeside

If you’d like to learn more about the benefits and possibilities of branding company vehicles, simply get in touch with our expert team here at Lakeside.

Our digitally printed reflective products are the perfect way to get noticed and increase local awareness for your business. It doesn’t matter what service/product you sell, branding a vehicle helps get more eyeballs on your business, helping increase inbound sales.