Trying to get customers to recognise your small business after you’ve just begun can seem like the most difficult challenge of all. Branding for the newbie is a minefield, you don’t want to come across tacky or desperate, but at the same time you don’t want to be as quiet as a church mouse and risk being forgotten by customers.

The perfect in between is a balance of Communication, Creativity and Cost.

Communication

Developing a successful brand doesn’t come from sitting on your own with a magic 8 ball. Keep your employees as involved as possible with the process – they might have some great ideas you hadn’t considered, or even some valuable graphic skills you didn’t know about!

Getting feedback from customers is also a worthwhile task while you’re in the throes of developing your business. Look up as many branding statistics and if possible and get some market research under your belt. Posting a short survey on social media and asking your friends to complete it will give you some insights into how you should portray your business.

Creativity

Nothing is more valuable when it comes to branding than a creative spark. The light bulb epiphany can be the step in between your business failing and succeeding. Tap into your full creativity through hobbies; learning a musical instrument, creating art and writing are all great ways to get the creative juices flowing!

Keeping your brand original is the key to sticking in the consumer’s mind. Copying a logo from a big brand with just a few changes will confuse customers, and make it seem like you’re a knock-off version of the real thing.

Cost

When creating your brand it’s important to factor in the initial cost the start-up will have on your finances. You might want to blow your money on the best graphic designer in town but keep your head and think realistically.

There are simple ways around spending loads on your branding, but at the same time don’t hold your purse strings too tightly. Speaking to a professional will give you ideas about the direction you want your company to head in and they will have experience with what branding will attract your target customers.

Are you in the process of branding your company? Or are you rebranding? What rules have you followed and has it worked? Get in touch and leave us a comment in the section below!