6 Things to Know When Creating the Brand of Your Small Business

Have you got a small business idea? Great! And you can’t stop your imagination from running wild at the thought of where your business could go and what it could do? Even better! But before you start to put your ideas into practice, you must know your brand inside and out. Know these six details, and you can’t go wrong!

1. Know Your Niche

Your niche is all about what makes you so specifically unique. So knowing your niche and your USP (Unique Selling Point) will only help you on your journey to branding your independent business. Unlike large chains, your business will need to shout extra loud to be heard and seen, so make sure you know what makes you unique from the get-go.

When considering your niche, think about what customizable design might encapsulate your company when you come to market it. To give your brand the best chance of standing tall above the crowd, head to The/Studio. Dealing with companies large and small, The/Studio will work with you to help your design lift off their patches, pins, socks, coins, and more.

Thinking in this way can help you to narrow down what it is that makes you so unique.

2. Know Your Goals

You can’t have a strategy without an end goal or goals, so when developing your brand, don’t forget about them! You can break it down into where you want to be next week, month, year, and beyond. Map out what customer base you want to increase by and whether or not a loyalty scheme could help you get there.

Prioritize your company’s niche by creating a brand strategy, whatever your goals.

3. Know What Makes You Different

Knowing what makes you different isn’t the same as your niche. Think of your brand alongside others. For example, imagine you own an independent cafe.

How does your brand look and feel different from the coffee shop around the corner? Or even bigger brands like Starbucks?

You can discover what makes you different by asking:

• What’s your mission that’s personal to your business?
• What are your company’s core values, and why do your customers share them?
• How do you solve your customers’ problems? What are they missing in their lives that you’re giving them?
• What’s a unique feature of your target client base?
• What will a customer experience when they walk through your doors? And how does that reflect in your aesthetic, both as a logo and the physical interior of your company?

4. Know Your Business Like a Person

Sometimes the above questions can be hard to answer, especially if you have a great idea. But when your core values don’t feel tangible, try to imagine your company as a person.

Every person on the planet is unique and has a personality. Your business should feel as unique as an individual walking along the street. So what does your business look like, sound like? Are they stern, clean, neat, messy, at one with nature?

The more memorable your company’s personality, the better! You don’t want to be a forgotten sheep in the crowd. So what will a customer remember about your company long after they’ve visited?

If you’re struggling, think of a friend or family member and switch the exercise. If they were a small business, what would they be, look, and smell like? It might help you to discover your personality.

5. Know Your Community

The desire and love for small businesses are growing; even Vogue offers support, and it’s no coincidence that Vogue groups businesses by location. After all, a business’s local community is its power.

Could you consider your location? Is it temporary? Or is it at the very heart of what you do? For example, if you’re opening a record store, maybe your location speaks to the type of records you sell.

Wherever you are, could you know your community and consider how you want to involve them in your development?

6. Know Social Media

Creating a brand in the age of social media can feel like a near-on-impossible task with such saturated platforms. However, the key is engaging with cultural branding. How will your brand speak to the culture of today and tomorrow?

Final Thoughts

Although it requires hard work, creating a brand for your small business will seem a breeze by knowing your company inside out. The more questions you ask, the more your business will form fully.