Starting a small business on your own is hard work. It takes someone that is dedicated and focused in order to be a successful small business owner. Yet, small businesses are the backbone of America and account for 15 million American jobs.
If you want to start your own small business, there are many different things to consider, like UX design, marketing schemes, and systems and data management.
Still, one of the most important parts of creating a successful small business is how you build your brand. Building your brand and generating trust with your clients is the most effective way to start a small business that will thrive. But how do you do that, you may ask?
These five simple steps to building a strong small business brand will help you get started.
Create a Solid Mission Statement
Writing a mission statement for your small business is the first step to building a strong small business brand. Your mission statement is the foundation of your brand is should always include these three things:
- What does your company do
- How do you do it
- Why do you do it
You want to portray to your customers/clients what your business is about and the core values that are important to you. A clear mission statement will not only help you gain more loyal customers, but it’s also important when hiring new staff members.
Good employees are vital to running a successful small business. Finding the right ones starts with a clear mission statement. A new employee will want to know more about the business they are applying for and will be able to achieve that by reading your mission statement.
Set in Place a Strategic Marketing Plan
Good marketing is the bread and butter of a successful business. When starting a small business, marketing will be the only way to reach new customers and grab their attention. Billboards, posters, and word of mouth are great ways to spread the word about your new business, but online marketing is also extremely important in today’s digital world.
Create a website that is easy to follow and easy for google to find. Of course, this is easier said than done, so finding a marketing and media design company to help get you started is a good idea. Marketing to the right people at the right time is crucial, and hiring a marketing team will make that process much easier to navigate.
Stand Out From the Others
There will be competition in any business you start, so a key element to creating a strong small business brand is to set yourself apart from the others. Make it known to the world why your business is different from the rest and why they should trust you instead.
One way to do this is by creating an about us page. The about us page will give potential customers more information about your business and help them learn more about you! This is where your UX design team comes into play. They can perform competitor and customer analysis and create unique and appealing content for your page.
Another way to stand out from the competition is to have a multi-channel presence. A multi-channel presence is achieved using multiple sources to reach clients/customers.
For example, social meet and greets in person are a great way to connect to the older populations. In contrast, social media and virtual marketing methods work best when connecting with younger folks.
Develop a Target Audience & Appeal to Them
The next step in building a successful small business brand is to develop your target audience and then learn how to appeal to them. Your target audience is the people who most benefit from using your products or services. So first, you find your niche and determine who you want to appeal to most.
As soon as you can pinpoint a population of people, you can then decide the best strategy to reach them. For example, suppose you decide that young, college-aged students will most benefit from your services. In that case, you may want to create a Facebook page, reach out via social media platforms, and visit college campuses to get their attention.
After your target audience is established, you want to try and find a way to grab their attention. You can do this by offering something of value in return for their time and consideration.
Offering a free entry into a drawing for prizes is one way to give something of value without breaking the bank since you only need to purchase one prize. Another idea would be to give out pencils, pens, and other stationary items with your branding on them; that way, your name is remembered, and they’re also receiving a free gift.
Create a Brand Logo That Stands Out
Finally, when trying to build a strong small business brand, you want to create your own brand logo that stands out. Your logo should portray who you are as a company and how you want to be perceived. It can be a combination of different colors or something as simple as one letter; your logo will determine what your brand looks like to your customers and competition.
Creating your logo from scratch can be tricky, so hiring a marketing management company is ideal for new businesses. Fusion Media offers media management and UX design for start-up businesses that need a little help getting started. Create a logo you love and incorporate it into everything you do when marketing your brand.
Conclusion
Building a strong small business brand is a result of hard work, effort, and determination. Utilizing these five simple steps to creating the foundation of a solid small business will help you get to your goal of becoming a successful small business owner and achieve the business brand that works best for you.
Come up with a strategy, create a plan and execute that plan accordingly and watch your business soar into a success!