Your small business brand dictates how people feel about your company when they see or hear your company’s name. Your brand is your logo, the voice you use when you talk to your clients, the fonts you publish your content in, the colors on your website and more. Your brand is what sets your small business apart from the rest. Yet many companies make critical mistakes that can cause serious damage to their brand image.
Don’t be a casualty of branding suicide – avoid these common small business branding snafus!
Mistake #1 – Mismatched Brand Elements
Problem: You’ve got all the elements of a great small business brand, but none of them fit together. Your content is very corporate, your logo features a lamppost and you’re still using Comic Sans on your website.
Solution: The elements of your brand should complement each other, and your small business’ personality should be obvious across the board. Your potential and current customers shouldn’t multiple personalities every time they come into contact with your small business brand!
Mistake #2 – A Complicated Branding Mess
Problem: Your logo is too complicated, your website has more than 50 pages and your mission statement reads like stereo instructions.
Solution: More isn’t always better – sometimes, it’s just more. Your small business brand needs to reflect you, but it also needs to be manageable. Don’t overwhelm your audience. Keep all the elements of your brand simple, and it’ll be a lot easier for people to remember.
Mistake #3 – Underestimating Your Brand’s Importance
Problem: You’ve got a small business brand…sort of. It’s not fancy or anything, but a brand is just marketing mumbo jumbo, right?
Solution: Quick – What’s Nike’s trademark? Chances are good you saw the swoosh in your mind before you even finished reading the question. That’s how important a brand can be. It distinguishes you from the competition in seconds. Don’t underestimate the power of a small business brand. You need one. A good one. Trust us.
Mistake #4 – Not Playing to Your Target Market
Problem: Your small business brand is awesome. You’ve got an ultra modern logo, hip website content and a tech-savvy voice. But your target market is senior citizens.
Solution: Before you even consider how to brand your small business, you need to identify your target demographic. A mismatch here can prove disastrous.
Proper branding is essential to your small business, but you need to get it right in order for it to matter.
Mischa Communications can help your small business with the complete branding package and make you just as recognizable as the swoosh! Drop us a line, and let us turn your small business brand visions into reality.