How to Brand Your Company

You've identified your core products and services and mapped out your business plan. The next step is to create a brand implementation strategy that distinguishes your business from competitors in the minds of your customers and prospects.1

Small business branding establishes a unique identity that resonates with target audiences. While some think branding a company simply means giving it a name, it should also include your logo, tagline, values, voice — even color palette.

Be intentional about every element of your company identity. It’s the foundation on which you’ll build your brand assets, so it’s important to get it right. The more detailed the plan, the easier it’ll be to develop your website, social media channels and marketing activities. It’s how you build a strong brand.

Five branding tips for small businesses will help increase awareness.

Building a memorable brand is essential for small businesses that want to stand out in a crowded market. If you’re wondering how to brand your company, spend the time carefully considering key aspects of your identity — company values, imagery and messaging — to create a lasting impression that sets you apart in the marketplace. A thoughtful brand implementation strategy lays the groundwork for greater recognition, trust and lasting customer relationships.

1. Identify your audience.

   When creating your small business branding, focus on what your business does best and who is most likely to need your products and services. Don’t try to be all things to all people. Some of the most successful companies have very narrow, niche audiences. Marketing can be expensive, so it’s better to direct your attention and budget and resources where you’ll have the most impact.
   
   Identify your customer personas if you sell directly to consumers (B2C) or your ideal customer profile (ICP) if you’re a B2B company. For each customer persona or profile, consider demographics such as age, gender, education and income, as well as pain points, goals and motivations for purchasing. Think about the types of content or people who might influence them to create a composite of who you want to reach. Hootsuite offers a free template to create buyer personas, as well as other branding tips for small businesses.2
   

2. Craft a mission statement.

   Communicating a clear description of your company’s purpose, as part of your small business branding to potential clients, builds trust. Your mission statement articulates company goals or why your business exists, as well as its values (e.g., how it will contribute to the industry, local market or community). For example, Google's mission statement pledges to “organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful."
   
   In a recent study, 61% of consumers said the way a brand demonstrates how its values align with their own influences their loyalty.3 Your mission statement helps potential customers consider why they should choose your business instead of a competitor’s. Eighty-four percent of loyal customers will also recommend a brand with shared values.4
   
   When writing the mission statement, think about what your customers will gain from your product or service. Focus on benefits — how your product/service will help customers — rather than features or descriptions. For example, if you're selling water bottles, insulation and a leak-proof lid are features. The benefits are keeping a drink hot (or cold) and preventing spills. You might be excited about the features, but customers are usually more interested in the benefits. As the old marketing adage goes, “You don’t sell the steak, you sell the sizzle.”
   

3. Develop brand voice and tone.

   Your brand voice should appeal to your target audience and industry, as well as be consistent across marketing channels. Consistency makes your brand memorable and aids recall. Think of it as your brand’s personality. To create a brand voice for your small business, review the values and mission statement, and determine the characteristics that best fit the image you want to present. Consider surveying potential customers for additional perspective on the market, competitors and insights into how they might view your brand.
   
   CoSchedule recommends a “we’re this, not that” exercise to help articulate the brand voice that best reflects your values.5 Use the results to guide all your marketing, advertising and communications strategies and concepts.
   

4. Create your brand message.

   The brand message should inspire both your prospects and employees, as well as align with your mission. There are two core types of brand messages: taglines and slogans.
   
   A tagline is typically a distilled expression of your brand’s target audience, values, personality and benefits. Unilever’s “Let’s Change Beauty,” mantra for Dove products is a master class in how to build a strong brand. The tagline reflects the company’s mission to redefine beauty standards with a focus on authenticity, confidence and self-esteem. It’s not just about selling soap; it’s about valuing all types of beauty.
   
   In contrast, a slogan is campaign-specific and more flexible. Dove’s “#TurnYourBack” slogan encouraged consumers to take a stand against toxic beauty advice on social media, literally turning their backs on harmful content. This slogan supported a focused initiative but stayed true to the brand’s larger mission of promoting “real beauty” and emotional well-being.
   
   Whether you're creating a short, catchy tagline or a campaign-specific slogan, ensure both clearly and consistently express your business’ core values and purpose.
   

5. Establish a visual identity.

   The last element you’ll want to create as part of your small business branding is visual identity. Visual identity includes fonts, color and image choices that complement your brand’s personality and audience. For example, to convey that your business is trustworthy you might consider using blue in your designs. Decide whether traditional or modern fonts best represent your personality. In addition, determine whether imagery should include illustrations, photos or both. Graphic design platforms such as Canva offer free tools and tips to design your small business’ visual identity, as well as websites, presentations and other marketing media.6

Get the funding you need to build a strong brand.

Effective small business branding is an opportunity to make a lasting first impression with potential customers. Synovus can help fund your brand implementation strategy. We are an SBA Preferred Lender that is committed to helping small business owners achieve their goals. For details, contact a Synovus Business Banker, call 1-888-SYNOVUS (1-888-796-6887) or stop by one of our local branches.