Your small medium enterprise might just be getting on its feet and while you concern yourself with sales and staff it’s important you also don’t forget about branding. After all, your brand is how people remember what you do and the service you offer, so it’s a good idea to curate it into something you want people to recognise you as.
Here are five branding ideas for your SME to consider today and employ as soon as possible…
Have a theme
A SME with a ‘theme’ is one branding idea that creates success. Consider what your theme will be; are you a fun company much like Innocent Drinks or do you consider yourself the hero of simplicity and comfort that Premier Inn hotels suggests? You want your theme to evoke your company message, to confirm what you already want your customers to be thinking about you.
Consider a brand ambassador
Brand ambassadors can do wonders for a company, someone the company’s general demographic looks up to they encourage potential customers to buy products simply because they say they use them, or they’ve created a range for the brand. A good example of this is Superdry’s team up with actor Idris Elba, who has put together a stylish range of clothing featuring everything from luxurious t-shirts to on trend jeans that evoke his style. Elba’s persona has become the byline for a range of hoodies, jackets and jeans from Superdry – a powerful connection.
Be a thought leader
Thought leaders are taken seriously when considering brands, so get yourself out there at industry events and publish high quality content online, on their on page blog and guest posts on other leading industry websites. A brand viewed as a thought leader will also be considered reputable, knowledgeable and reliable, so it’s important you start getting your name out there and encouraging people to take an interest.
Be consistent
Consistency is key when it comes to branding. Consistently great customer service is something every brand should try to evoke in its image and marketing as well as prompt turn around on services or shipping. Ensure your message is consistent across the board to create a strong brand image surrounding high quality that should attract more customers over time.
Use your product as branding
A good product speaks volumes more than any advertising campaign can, and brand Arbonne, for example, has hit the nail on the head when it comes to spreading the company’s message. It uses its employees to spread the message but the products it sells offer such amazing results they’ve created a brand all of their own, as people share their before and after pictures online praising whatever they’ve used.
YouNique mascara had the same effect, when it dramatically lengthened people’s lashes with its fiber and gel formula. There was such a hype about it that the guys who created the mascara didn’t need to do anything but sit back and watch the sales roll in. Let your high quality product speak for itself, get it in front of influential bloggers who will do reviews, and spread the word.
When it comes to branding ideas take a look around at what the big players are doing, take inspiration from them and tailor it to work for your own SME.