How to build a brand for a small business

Today, the topic we are tackling is:
How to Build a Brand for A Small Business.

Fist off, let’s look at a quote from Plato.

Plato said ”The right question is usually more important than the right answer.”

Plato was an ancient Greek philosopher who taught Aristotle. And Aristotle personally tutored Alexander the Great - who conquered most of the known world in Ancient times. (Most small business owners dream of conquering the world in current times.)

Plato was born around 428 BC and died around 348 BC - so rounding it off, he lived about two and a half thousand years ago.

He was a great teacher - and he is still teaching people today.

Let’s see what we can learn from him.

Again, as Plato said: “The right question is usually more important than the right answer.”

The right question?
Huh? (even that's a question)

How do questions help us brand our small business?

Questions are the highway to knowledge.

Asking the right questions forces us to think: to use our brains - to listen - and hopefully, to learn. And everyone knows - that to be successful in small business, you have a lot to learn.

We have to challenge ourselves to think outside the box and sometimes throw the box away.

The right questions can move us forward meaningfully.

The right questions - open up new possibilities, new experiences; encouraging us to venture down untrodden pathways that just might lead to hidden treasure.

I have read that in the Phillippines - if you share information with people and they DON”T ask questions - it's a polite hint to stop talking. So in the Phillippines, even the impulse to ask questions has a cultural meaning that implies interest and respect. We can learn from that.

Asking the right questions means that we are prepared to learn, adapt and change in order to grow.

Now every small business wants to grow.

And In my experience, small business owners are always eager to learn. In our world of changing technologies - a positive attitude towards lifelong learning is a key tool for success.

And now - a very important question.

How do you build a brand for your small business?

It’s easy.
According to Plato, you just have to ask the right questions!

With the questions, come the answers.

While an answer is never definitive - it must be carefully considered, tried and tested. An answer is never an end unto itself, yet it can provide a helpful piece of the puzzle.

If those answers resonate with you - the next step is to put those answers into real world practice via a series of actionable steps.

And then do them: consistently, one small step at a time.

So, let’s tackle the big question of ‘How to Build a Brand for A Small Business’ - by breaking it down into a series of smaller questions.

Firstly - What is your brand?
Secondly - Why do people need your brand?
Thirdly - How do you build awareness of your brand?
And finally - two questions: How can your brand boost your revenue? And, more then, how can branding grow your business?

Let’s address these questions in order, with some simple ideas to get us started.

What is your brand?

As we say almost everyday, your brand is more than your logo.

For your small business, a useful way to think about your brand is in terms of personal reputation. Hopefully, you have a good personal reputation. People like you, trust you and are happy to do business with you.

Now establishing interpersonal trust is a bit like building a brand.

Building trust takes time, consistency, positive actions.

Building a trusted brand takes time, consistency, positive actions.

Building a good reputation for your brand - is always worth the effort and will deliver a significant return on investment in a multitude of ways.

Why do people need your brand?

This is a very important question to ask. Why do people need you and your products and services? Why you - and not that other small business around the corner?

Keep in mind that the best thing about your small business is you. In many ways - you are your brand. It is the message you send in all your dealings with others.

Why not take a moment to list all the reasons why your customers need you.

In doing so, consider how you stand apart from your competitors? What is it that you do differently or better? What is your story?

In answering these questions, you will start to define a clearer idea of your niche market and ideal customer. This in turn helps you build your brand by providing targeted messaging and delivering targeted education to those who are most likely to buy.

How do you build awareness of your brand?

OK. Now that you are starting to think about your niche market and target customer, expand on that.

You can only hit a target if you have one.

Build a detailed profile of your target customer - Who are they? What age are they? What is their occupation? Where do they live? How much money do they earn? What are their interests? How will you connect with them?

And most importantly, how will you educate them about your small business.

Building brand awareness boils down to finding ways to educate your target customer about you.

Get your message out there to the people who matter most: your customers and prospects.

And when reaching out to prospects and leads, always review your actions from a customer-centric point of view. How do you want to be seen? What is the message you want to be heard?

And the two final questions: How can your brand boost your revenue? And, how can branding grow your business?

Revenue growth occurs when your offerings meet the needs of your target market.

Consistent outreach strategies are important to stay 'top of mind' when people are ready to buy.

Find ways to ensure that your customer knows your brand and trusts your small business above your competitors, so that when they are ready to make a purchase decision - they come to you.

Remember, don't think big budget.

Building trust happens best in grass-roots, lo-fi ways. An example is customer service - provide great customer service and your clientele will tell their friends. They in turn tell their friends, as so on.

This growth happens exponentially.

Does branding grow your business?

In an organic way, yes - as more satisfied customers return for future purchases and your target audience gets to know you, your business and your brand - measurable growth occurs, revenues rise and profitability increases.

"Mighty oaks from little acorns grow." is a 14th century proverb that fits well here.

So coming back to the larger topic at hand: ‘How to Build a Brand for Small Business’.

In summary, your brand is you, your story, the reasons behind your small business.

To build a brand for a small business, start with your story first. The reason why you do what you do.

Then, ensure that every touch point of your business carries that story - or the heart of that story - in an authentic way.

This includes such elements as: your logo design, you company colours, your personal presentation, your product and service choices, your customer education strategies, your online outreach and more.

Your brand is what makes you, you. It showcases exactly what it is that makes your business special, worth doing business with and worth recommending to others.

Aim to win a place in people’s hearts with a small business brand that hits the target. Do it for the long term, do it everyday, in every way; and get prepared to see real results.

To build a great brand for your small business, you do not need a lot of money.

What you do need are the right questions.

And the understanding that building up a brand is an ongoing journey.

Build your profile: bit by bit, day by day, year by year. Be consistent with your brand efforts and your small business will fulfil both your long and short term goals.

So don’t forget Plato - and keep asking questions along the way!