If you’ve recently started your small business, branding is definitely top of the agenda for you. While branding requires you putting money out to get your business identified by potential customers, making a branding campaign that sticks also requires creativity.
The branding strategies that will make your small business shine can also be effectively be applied to a big business, but without the oversized cost. That said, these business branding ideas could be considered effective for any business size.
1. Become a Social Media Whizz
A Pardot survey shows that at least, 80 percent of consumers would consider a product from a brand they follow on social media. This establishes social media as the leading destination for small businesses who are ready to establish their brand.
Having established the strength of social media on brands, building the required formula needed to set your small business as a leading authority figure in your niche is all that is required. Unlike traditional media that always require extensive training, you can easily become a social media pro by understanding the ropes of your target platform and sticking to them.
2. Give Free Branded Shirts
This can be considered as branding on a budget.
For a small business that understands the real value in having its brand shown on T-Shirts, the expenses incurred during the printing and production stages would be seen as an investment well spent. Sujan Patel, a leading digital marketing expert shared in a case study that a T-Shirt giveaway campaign helped him make $980,000 (figures as at the time of writing this article).
3. Vehicle Wrap Marketing
This branding technique came into existence back in 1900, when Milton Hershey first tried it with his Lancaster PA brand. While the cost associated with vehicle wrapping can be huge, given the cost it takes to put a decent paint job with your brand on a vehicle, the result justifies the process.
Those in the business are even saying technology has helped to make the process more pocket-friendly on small business owners. According to Chris Burgess, founder and lead installer at ProWraps, Inc, “With vinyl sheets, car wrapping is now affordable and can be changed almost instantly to accommodate a new advertisement. Businesses that use our wrapping technology have reported increased brand gains.”
According to a 2011 survey conducted by Ad Agency RYP & Becker Group (a follow up to 3M’s initial research on the subject), 97% of those surveyed recalled the ad while 98% thought they had a positive image of the brand as a result of the advertisement and 96% thought car wraps had more impact than billboards.
This survey result further strengthens the impact of car wrapping on branding for small businesses, and indeed any business size in general.
4. Sponsor Podcasts
With the guarantee, that podcast audience is always listening, scoring a low-fee advertising on a regular podcaster’s show with a loyal audience is a definite way to strengthen your small business’ brand. Podcast audiences are more likely to key into the message of the audio content and are more likely to remember a business that is mentioned in the podcast.
With the audience listening to podcasts while they work out, drive, travel in public transport and even when walking and running, hardly any form of advertising has personal penetration.
5. Partner on Fundraisers
Another powerful branding tool a small business can tap into is by hosting fundraisers. Hosting a fundraiser in support of a well-known movement in your immediate market can help locals quickly form a good impression of your brand.
This strategy may not require you to put much money on the table. Your role could just be as simple as bringing the people that would be donating the money together. Partnering on fundraisers will not only help your draw attention to your business when invitees attend, you will also be forming goodwill within your immediate area.
6. Exhibit at a Trade Show
Twitter took off from a trade fair.
Powerful things can happen when you put your small business offering on display where other startup founders and small business owners are looking to meet like-minded folks. By exhibiting your small business at a trade show, you’re securing a recognizable brand positioning that could translate into greater opportunities in the future.
A great example is how Twitter’s exhibit at SXSW led to them finally getting on Oprah Show and instantly becoming a sensation almost overnight. You can’t call Twitter a small business anymore!
Featured photo credit: nebula.wsimg.com via nebula.wsimg.com
