Branding is essential for small businesses too

May 17, 2022

Some small businesses tell me: “I don’t need branding because my business is only small”.

There seems to be a perception that branding is for big businesses with big budgets.

Whilst branding can be expensive and is important for large organisations, it’s also essential for small businesses, too. Fact: Branding does NOT have to cost the earth, but it DOES require a lot of passion and thought.

Why should small businesses care about branding?

If you asked many small business owners if they care about making a positive impression on potential customers, most would answer ‘yes’. Many of these same organisations don’t actively think about branding. Yet branding is all about managing the impression you make.

Branding is not an optional luxury that businesses choose. It’s not a spectator sport to be watched from the sidelines. To be effective, you need to actively manage your brand. This applies to all businesses, both small and large.

Whether you like it or not, people are forming an impression of your brand every single day. They are already having an experience of your brand. Not just through your formal planned marketing communications. But every time you speak with a potential customer on the phone, every time someone comes to your store, or they go on your website.

Every time someone interacts with you or your business, they are experiencing your brand and forming an impression of who you are.

The question is:

do you care about creating a good impression? Or are you happy to leave it to chance?

You don’t choose whether or not to have a brand; you already have one.

Rather, you choose whether or not you want to control the conversations others have about your brand. You choose whether or not you want to manage people’s perception of your business.

Taking an active role in managing perceptions of your brand means you influence important elements driving the growth of your business, including:

• How people perceive your organisation
• The impact you want to have through the work you do
• Who you attract to your organisation (e.g. customers, employees, partners)

When you get to grips with your brand, you’ll build the assets you need to make you stand out, improve recognition and provide a greater sense of purpose for both internal and external stakeholders.

So, what are YOU going to do?

Are you going to take an active stance and manage perceptions of your brand? Or are you going to sit on the sidelines waiting for your audience to form their own opinion?