If asked, could your clients accurately describe your business in three words? Could your employees? If not, your branding may not be as solid as it needs to be.
At Succeeding Small, we understand the importance of a business’s brand being recognizable and consistent. A brand is so much more than just a logo. That being said, when it comes to building your brand, there are three basic elements to consider: purpose, association and flexibility.
Purpose
When thinking about your business and your branding, you should ask yourself, “What is the purpose of my company?”
Your initial answer might be to make money.
Take it a step further. Think critically about the higher purpose of why you do what you do. Understanding why you choose to have your business at all will help you clarify some of the core values you have and exemplify your brand.
An excellent example of purpose is IKEA’S mission and vision: “To create a better everyday life for the many people”.
You likely know why you started your business and why you serve who you serve, yet you’ve never put it into words or used it when designing any marketing around your business.
Association
Knowing what your brand will be associated with is key when building your brand.
For example, what do you associate with Coca-Cola? Maybe the holiday season with the funny polar bear drinking a Coke? Or maybe outdoor concerts in the summer or backyard BBQs? Coca-Cola has made their brand associated with togetherness, hence “share a Coke”.
Knowing what your brand currently is associated with and what you would like it to be associated with is key to a successful branding strategy.
Flexibility
Perhaps one of the most crucial elements to building your brand is flexibility. This means that your brand needs to be able to adapt in order to stay relevant in the marketplace.
For instance, if you are a personal training company, it’s important to brand yourself in a way that allows you to pivot in different directions.
If you always offered in-person training but now want to move into the online fitness space, you need a brand that can easily move with you without causing “brand confusion”.
Ready to Establish Your Brand?
At Succeeding Small we specialize in helping you design a brand that you and your customers love. This includes helping you decipher your purpose, and your brand association while ensuring that your brand is flexible in the ever changing marketplace. Contact us today to learn how we can help you build your small business brand!
