When you think of Ticketmaster, what comes to mind? If you are an avid concert goer like us then anger and hidden fees are things you probably associate with the company. These emotions and thoughts all contribute to Ticketmaster’s branding identity.
So, does your small business have an identity?
Even if you haven’t worked on branding, your small business still has an identity. Working on your branding is important because if you are not in control of your brand identity then you are putting yourself in a difficult position.
Pro tip: if you are your brand (think Vivian Walton – Marketing Consultant) then your branding will be a little different. However, you should still treat your brand as a separate entity to who you are as a human.
Take control of your brand for your small business with these 8 components.
Logo & Design
These two components are visual representations of your brand. It is important that your design and logo represent and fit with your brand. You do not need to spend a lot of time and resources on a logo, simply making sure that it is an accurate representation of your small business is enough. If you spend time building up the other components of branding then your identity will be easy to recognize.
Pro tip: While we are saying you can get away with not spending too much time on a logo, your logo still has to be POLISHED and PROFESSIONAL.
Communication
How do you communicate with your customers / clients / the outside world? Does your small business use extravagant language, are you witty, or do you focus on being friendly in your interactions.
A great example of this is Wendys and their constant roasting of others on Twitter.
Mission & Vision
These two components are your North Star. These are your goals for your small business, and keeping them in mind in everything you do has an effect on your branding.
Behavior
Think of the kind of service you expect from Chick-Fil-A. This is the BEHAVIOR you expect of the brand, and can have a huge impact on the experience you have with this company. If you have worked hard to create an experience for your customers they will expect this behavior. That is good branding.
Language
Language is a little different than communication in the sense that it focuses on verbiage specifically. You want to focus on using verbiage that correlates with your brand’s communication style.
Culture
Company culture impacts your brand a little differently. If you have a bad company culture then people will be less willing to support you.
Looking for a deeper dive into each of these components of branding? Check out our podcast episode, Does Your Brand Have An Identity, of the S.O.B. Marketing Podcast wherever you get your podcast OR watch the Youtube video below!
Did you find this content useful? Feel free to share your thoughts with me, I can be reached at vivian@theseasonedmarketer.com or just leave me a comment below!
Recent Comments