Your brand is NOT your logo, signage or website… your brand is the sum of every interaction a customer has with you. From how you drive your car, answer the phone, pay your bills, how your staff conduct themselves, the speed to answer an email, your advertising, sponsorships, packaging, uniforms, proposals, social media comments… ALL of it is your brand.

Many small business owners think branding is simply a logo or advertising, and something only big companies need to worry about. They might feel it’s “fancy marketing stuff” that doesn’t make a real difference. But the truth is, having a strong brand is crucial for businesses of all sizes.

The power of brand

You run a local business. You’ve got skills and you offer great products or services, but so do others in your area. How do you make sure people choose you over the competition? This is where a strong brand identity is important.

When a brand is consistent, it builds trust, and when there’s trust, it builds enquiry, and then when a customer is in the market for what you offer – bam, you’re front of mind. It doesn’t guarantee a sale, but a strong brand presence creates top-of-mind awareness and you begin to “own” a little piece of real estate in someone’s head. Think about these words: Yellow, supermarket, stickman… what might that be?

By any chance did PAK'nSAVE come to mind? I didn’t show you a logo, and yet it probably popped into your head, didn’t it? Great brands use a range of tools and tactics to create a strong brand, but whether a product or a service, they all have something in common – they’re  consistent with their marketing and brand outputs. There are probably dozens of jingles, slogans, or logos that own a little piece of your brain real estate… that’s what good branding does.

Let’s meet Jane

Let’s offer an example. Jane owns a small bakery. She makes delicious, high-quality cakes and pastries. She has some pretty business cards with a swirly font, no store front or website, buys sturdy cake boxes online from various places, she gets word-of-mouth referrals, and people have to send an order enquiry to her Gmail account. It’s not bad, but it’s not strong either. There’s no consistency, no planned brand presence, no easy way to find her. She’s kind of invisible to people actively looking for cakes.

Now, there’s another bakery in town owned by Lisa. Lisa also works from home, has a clear, recognisable logo, bright blue packaging, an active, professional social media presence and a website enquiry form with an auto reply in place explaining how to place an order. When you Google “cakes”, she has a Google profile, with great reviews and pictures. She’s easy to find and has “brand recall”. When people think of getting a cake for a birthday or a special event, they remember what they’ve seen and can find Lisa’s bakery because her brand stands out, is instantly recognisable and she’s leveraged every interaction a client has had with her by capturing Google reviews. Even if Jane’s cakes are just as good or maybe even better, people are more likely to remember Lisa because her brand is more visible, consistent, findable and memorable.

How can you build a strong brand

• Create brand guidelines

Know your brand. Who are you, what do you stand for – are you funny, serious, down to earth, sombre, clean, dark, classic, uber-modern, fresh, quirky? How is your logo to be treated? What are your colours, fonts or image rules? You should be 100% clear on what your brand is/is not and ensure your whole team understand.

Your logo is simply a visual representation of your brand and is often the first thing people will see about your business. Make sure it’s clear, simple, unique and represents what you do. Make sure it fits who you are.

• Be consistent

Always use the same colours, fonts and style in all your marketing materials. Whether it’s your business card, website, car, uniforms, packaging, flyers or a sponsorship advert, consistency helps people recognise your brand quickly. The All Blacks, Toyota, Sanitarium, Microsoft, Whittaker’s… they don’t muck around with their brands – why should you?

• Be responsive and communicate your brand values

When someone reaches out to you, respond appropriately. Whether it’s a question on social media, an email or a phone call, being responsive shows that you care about your customers and are professional. If you’re a quirky brand, be quirky, if your brand is serious, be professional.

If your advertising says you’re the fastest/spiciest/cheapest/best in town, then make sure you live those values in your delivery!

Why it’s worth it

Building a strong brand takes just a little time and effort, but it’s worth it.

A visible, recognisable, consistent brand helps you build market share, stand out from the competition and attract more customers, and ultimately builds brand trust and loyalty. When people remember your brand and have a great experience with it, they’re more likely to choose you over others, and then brand loyalty and advocacy kicks in.

In conclusion, no matter the size of your business, having a strong, visible, consistent brand is essential. It’s not just for the big players with big budgets. Start with having clear brand guidelines, and communicating to your team what your expectations are on how your brand should be treated.

If you need strategic brand or marketing advice or at minimum want a hand to build your brand guidelines, then reach out to our professional, experienced marketing team, based in Taranaki but happy to support our clients nationwide. Email sarah.ellem@bakertillysr.nz for a no-obligation conversation.