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Why is Branding Important for your Small Business?

For many people, branding is something that’s associated with big, multi-national businesses like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Apple and Ford, to name a few. While small business owners may not see the value in establishing and maintaining a brand, it could prove to be an important investment that fosters awareness of your business, drives sales and sets you apart from your competitors.

Brand Awareness and Identity

The reason many people have a certain calibre of company at the top of their mind is the effect that strong branding has on the public – awareness and recognition. The most successful businesses have a consistent, established brand that reflects what they do, who they are and the values they hold. As small business owners are generally in business because they are great at a particular thing, which can often be solely relied upon to generate ongoing business. However, a recognisable and consistent brand can plant the seed in a potential customer’s mind that emerges later down the track. Someone may not need your services right now, but in 6 months they might do, and there’s a chance that your business’ brand springs to mind. So rather than just targeting people who need what you can provide right now, good branding can even attract business in the future once those needs eventually arise.

Reliability

Life experience will tell you – familiarity breeds trust. As true as this is for people, in many ways it also applies to a business. Your brand – including the logo, typeface and colour palette, acts as the face of your business. Having this style consistently and strategically used across different advertising channels establishes your business as a leader in your field, and provides a familiar face that customers associate with the services or goods that you provide. The professionalism and attention to detail that you have as a business owner is also reflected in the time and effort you put into your brand and public image. All of these factors have proven in the past to help grow small businesses.

Differentiation from your Competitors

Another reason branding is important for your small business is to differentiate from your competitors. While this is particularly important in industries with many different service providers, even more niche businesses can benefit from a full, comprehensive branding exercise. This also comes back to the recognition factor in the mind of a potential customer, and combines the reliability and trust that it creates. If you’re neck and neck with another business in trying to win over customers, a professional brand image that reflects your company’s strong values and inspires trust, you may just find that you win more business than you thought possible.

So, when’s the last time you revisited your brand? Is it delivering the message you want it to? Is it helping your business reach its full potential? If not, this is a perfect time for a FREE McKinley Plowman Brand Health Check. Contact us on 9301 2200 or visit www.mckinleyplowman.com.au to see how we can help you transform the look and feel of your business.

written by:

Ben Hart

Ben joined the McKinley Plowman team in 2017 as a Marketing & HR Assistant, after completing a Bachelors degree in Marketing & Management from the University of Western Australia. Ben has since stepped up to the role of Marketing Manager and oversees the marketing activities for MP+ and many of our clients.

Ben enjoys helping clients take their businesses to the next level with thoughtful marketing strategies, innovative solutions, and timely reviews to ensure great outcomes. When he's not in the office, you'll find Ben playing football (soccer), watching it, or reading about it.