Affordable branding strategies for small businesses

Small business owners believe that branding is something that only apples and birds can do. They think branding only belongs to the likes of Anheuser-Busch, Burger King, Google, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, and The Coca-Cola Company.

In truth; it does not matter whether the business is small, medium, or large. If they are in business, they should give branding due consideration.

Professionals from an agency of logo design Dubai explain they conducted a brief survey of the Emirati market and also studied surveys of the U.S. and Canadian markets. A majority of small business owners (approximately 76%) reported that visual branding has quite an impact on their revenues.

An interesting fact: 23% of small business owners see raising their brand awareness as their biggest chance this year. This highlights the growing importance of branding tactics for small and medium-sized businesses.

Large-sized companies have bigger budgets to spend on branding. However, not everyone needs a gigantic bank account to create an effective branding strategy from ground zero. There are many things that can be done to help businesses stand out, grab attention of customers, and make the business memorable without them exceeding the budget.

Effective branding tactics for small businesses

Now is a good time to examine all branding tactics that can help take small and medium-sized businesses to a new level.

Defining the branding identity

Branding is beyond a typical logo on a website. It is who the business is as a company, its values, and its mission. It is the way it treats its customers. Also, the visual assets’ look and feel are considered.

Before designers can go ahead with more tactical steps in the branding strategy (especially logo design) they should take some time to understand who they are as an organization, i.e. the brand identity. It involves the following steps:

• Determining who the company is.
• Determining the target audience.
• Creating the ‘Point of Difference’.

Creating the brand’s visuals

Once it has been defined what is the company, what is its audience, what makes it different, and what is working in the industry, it is time to start actually designing the brand. This step is as crucial for small businesses as branding is for large enterprises. Here are some things needed:

• A brand styling guide.
• A very good logo.
• Business cards.
• A well-designed and developed website.

Depending on the business, brand, or company in spotlight, additional branding assets (customized product packaging or corporate letterheads) might be required. But what is the most important thing to keep in mind? Is it the company profile design? Regardless of where the customer faces the brand (logo or website), the look, design, and feel should be consistent.

If there is an evident lack of consistency when it comes to branding the business, then customers are at risk of getting confused. If they get confused then competitors will certainly onboard them.

Using the right content to establish oneself as a subject matter expert

Small businesses lack large advertising budgets. Luckily they do not have to spend a lot of money to get themselves visible in front of the right kind of people. There is a much better, easier, and more affordable way to get the business, brand, or company visible. Content marketing is that method.

Does content marketing work? Experts say it works on many levels. It gives business entities the chance to prove and exhibit their industry expertise. It helps companies establish themselves as a resource worth going to. They also can present subject matter with expertise on a topic/set of topics in the field and industry.

This will certainly attract the target audience and help them trust the company. When the times come to choose their favorite business, brand, or company, yours can be next thanks to the content you just made. This can not only grab their attention but also potentially solve their problem.

Find partnership opportunities

People love doing business with those businesses, brands, and companies they can trust.  In case the brand is new, establishing that level of trust will take a lot of time. There is a way to help speed up that process. It is wise to look for partnership opportunities with other brands customers already are working with.