Why small businesses should care about their brand

As a small business, it might be tempting to overlook esoteric things like branding, positioning, and messaging.

When we think about big brands like Apple or Nike it makes sense that branding matters to them.

They have an army of customers and followers to influence into buying their products. Every little detail on every single touchpoint amounts to millions for brands on that level.

That being said, branding is still important even if you’re doing weekend pop-ups at local events in your city. It still matters if you have one brick-and-mortar location.

The reality is that people don’t care about your products or services.

(Ugh, that felt douchy to say out loud, but it’s true for all of us and it’s a tough pill to swallow)

So, if people don’t care about what you’re selling, then what do they care about?

They care about themselves. They care about what people think of them and they care about solving their own problems. So, as a business, when you align with who people think they are, the values that they have, and the problems they want solved…then you will have their attention.

No matter what level you’re at in business, you’re answering the same question:

Why should anyone care?

When you’re giving people a reason to care by centering them in your messaging and branding they won’t feel like they’re being sold to. They will feel like someone cares about them as much as they care about themselves.

Your brand is your reputation and the way you are perceived by others. The middle school cafeteria politics are still at play here and we’re all just trying to figure out what table we should sit at. We all just want to belong.

Whether you’re about to make a 5-figure investment in a branding overhaul or you’re scrolling Canva templates, here are some starter ideas to think about as you build your brand.

What are your values?

This one is not as woo-woo as it sounds, it’s grounded and it’s practical. If you’re business were a person, what do they believe in? What do they stand for or against? Would they be dipping their fries in Ketchup or Mayo? What socio-political issues are they knowledgeable about and connected to?

Understanding your brand values gives you a roadmap to follow and a decision tree that keeps your business on track. It helps you with visual identity, but it also helps in other areas of business like knowing what partnerships are a good fit and what kind of employees to hire.

What does your business feel like?

Okay, this is a woo-woo question, but it’s a good one. Is your business light and airy like a beachside coffee shop? Or is it grounded and moody like a rustic steak house?

That feeling can be conveyed in the culture of the company, the physical ambiance, or the experience you provide for your customers. These are the details that can help you to stand out from the crowd.

What does your business sound like?

It’s natural to think that branding begins and ends with the visuals, but it’s so much further than that. The words that you have on your website, social media, and email communicate a lot more than what’s written on the page. The way that you speak to your customers, diners, and clients also has a lasting impact.

Do you have a casual voice or a formal one? Are you using language that resonates with a particular generation?

Being intentional about these decisions will call to you the people that you’re trying to serve and repel the people you don’t want to work with.

What happens if you just say “Screw it, I don’t need to think about any of this”

First off, that’s totally valid. Every business isn’t the life-long passion of the founder and if it’s just a means to an end, then don’t get stuck on the branding piece…

But if you care about the people that walk through your door…

If you want to serve a specific kind of person…

If you want your business to be more than a way to pay the bills for you…

Most importantly, if you want people to look past your prices, and the nitty-gritty of your offers, and focus more on what you uniquely bring to the table…

Then I would say branding is everything.

Bio: Neysa is the founder of Ginger and Carrot Productions, a creative agency that produces content for Chefs, Restaurants, and brands.

To work with them on your next project, you can schedule a call here.