You've probably heard a lot about

"Brand", "Branding" or "Brand Strategy"...

Brand Strategy, Brand Strategy, Brand Strategy... ugh. I get it… but what does it REALLY mean in simple terms for your small business in today’s ever changing fast-paced world??

As a small business owner, it's vital to find an edge over your competitors if you want to be seen in your marketplace. It’s essential to be thoughtful, intentional, and proactive in marketing your small business if you want to attract customers and establish long-lasting relationships with them and that starts with creating your brand.

If you want to create a winning, cohesive, uncomplicated, brand strategy that separates you from the crowd and all the noise, this is the essential information you need to think about, develop, and apply in your business.

Here’s the simple but effective must-haves, must-dos. Yes, this is worth your time.

[ Pro Tip: It’s very important that you do each of these items swiftly and without overthinking. The more time you spend in your head with it – the cloudier and more gummed up it will become. Trust me. Here we go… ]

In A Nutshell:

• Develop a unique selling proposition (USP): Identify what sets business apart from competitors and what is offered to customers that no one else has.

• Maintain Consistency: Establish visual identity and messaging in all marketing of the business.

• Stay Authentic: Be real, honest, and consistent in dealings with customers.

• Target Audience: Brainstorm top reasons clients need services and identify their chief complaint or 'pain point'.

• Brand Story: Create an emotional connection with clients by telling a story about why the business was started, how it has grown, etc. Keep it simple and human.

• Messaging: Keep messaging clear and concise, use language understand by ideal customer.

• Social Media: Use social media as a tool to reach potential customers with targeted content & advertising indefinitely building relationships.

• Reputation Monitoring: Get feedback from customers; thank negative reviewers for input & work to address issues promptly.

• Refine Strategy Continually: Invest time, energy, & money into creating an uncomplicated brand strategy that will evolve over time; stay true to values & message throughout process.

Communicate your unique selling proposition (USP):

Identify what sets you apart from your competitors and what you offer your customers that they can’t get from anyone else. Your USP should answer the question, "why should a customer choose your business over the competition?" Don't overthink it. You know why you started your business and what you intended to create and achieve... write those things down and keep it moving.

Consistency is key:

Consistency is so underrated and so very key in building a strong and recognizable brand for your small business. It’s essential to have the same message and visual identity everywhere you market your business. Consistency establishes your brand as trustworthy and reliable. In terms of visual identity and messaging - decide what you like, what makes sense, what you believe matters, and what you can consistently do to show up everywhere your customers are and write it down.

Be Authentic:

It’s important to stay true to your brand values and the 'voice' you choose for your business everywhere, all the time. What is 'voice'? Think about how you want to be thought of – who/how you want to be as a business. Example - I choose to be seen as approachable, trustworthy, and uncomplicated. My 'voice' is aligning everything I do and say with those ideals in mind and choosing my words and images accordingly. People resonate with businesses that speak a language they understand and trust. They are also drawn to authenticity. Be real, be honest, and be consistent in your dealings with customers, and they will appreciate you for it. Write down 'who' or 'how' you want to be known as to your customers. Again, keep it simple. Just a few words at most. Keep it moving.

Know who you are speaking to (your ‘target audience’ / ‘ideal client’):

Identifying your target audience, or ideal client, is crucial to creating an effective brand strategy. Understanding your ideal client’s problems, goals, and thoughts by putting yourself in their shoes is the only way you’ll be relatable and relevant to them. Knowing who you are speaking to in your marketing will help you tailor your messages and images specifically to them, will make them feel more comfortable and connected with your brand. Brainstorm the top 3-5 reasons clients need your services, what their chief complaint, or 'pain point' is when they need your services and write them down. These will flavor everything you do and say in your brand and attract the right clients.

Develop a compelling brand story:

Create a story that speaks directly to the wants and needs of your ideal client and builds an emotional connection with them. A great story can help you stand out from the competition and give consumers a reason to engage with your business. What's a brand story? Think 'why' you started your business, who you were then, and why you thought the world needed you and your dream business. Talk about how you got started, how you've grown, where you are now, and where you are headed. Keep it human. People don't resonate with business mumbo jumbo... they want to understand who and what you are and what you stand for as a small business service provider. It's a story but keep it simple. For now, write down a quick list of thoughts and ideas that come to mind and answer the above questions. You can take time later to develop a 'brand story' that you’ll use over and over in your marketing. You can even get help with it if you don't feel confident as a storyteller. Just write down the facts and feelings for now. That’s all you’ll need to get started on this.

Keep your messaging simple:

Your messaging should be clear and concise. Keep it simple and ensure that it’s easy to understand for your ideal client. Remember that people don't necessarily speak your business lingo. The more you evolve as a businessperson and the more skilled you become... the more you forget the 'simple' terms you used when you were starting out. Sit for a moment and think about the language; the words and descriptions you used when you were thinking about, and planning, your business – or when you were first learning your trade. Write them down. Your ideal customer will likely be much more able to understand and relate to that language than to the more expert dialogue you now have as a more experienced person in your field.

Utilize social media:

Social media is an essential tool for small business brand strategy. Love it or hate it - you can reach an enormous potential customer base through targeted social media content and advertising to build interest in your brand that leads to long-lasting relationships with them. Remove your thoughts and feelings about social media and how you use it personally for a moment and reframe it as a massive marketing tool instead. It can take time to find a groove that works for you with social media as a business, but you’ll find it if you try. Again, always keep it as simple as it can possibly be and still be effective for your business in your marketplace. Don't use every single social media channel when just one or two of them are really where your people hang out AND that you feel comfortable learning about and using. (LinkedIn? Facebook? Instagram? Pinterest? TikTok?, etc...) Write down the 1-2 places your peeps hang out most.

Be strategic with and carefully monitor your brand reputation:

Build a simple form of direct feedback you ask customers for into your systems, so you know right away if they are happy or not and why. Google forms or other simple tools work well... or just ask them. When people are happy – ask them to leave you a review. Also, keep track of what customers are saying about your business on social media and other review sites. This helps you identify issues and gives you an opportunity to address them promptly. Make a point to reply to EVERY review you get, whether it’s positive or negative. This shows customers how much you care about their opinion. If they give negative feedback - thank them. Let them know you take it to heart and plan to do better. It can be hard to hear and respond tactfully to the negative sometimes, but it’s just as vital to your brand and business growth as positive reviews. Possibly more so.

Think long term & continuously refine your brand strategy:

Building a brand is a long-term process that requires patience and consistency. It doesn't happen overnight, and chances are in 1-3 years you’ll have 'outgrown' your original brand strategy to some degree, and you'll be able to refine and update it so it becomes more and more pointed and effective. Invest time, energy, and money in creating a brand strategy now that will serve you in the long run. Start with the budget (of time, energy, and money) you currently have to work with and make sure you build more time, energy, and money into your budget year after year, so you continue to grow and evolve as a brand. Things change. You'll need to do this to stay relevant. It's a layering process. You'll find your brand gets more and more clear and concise as time goes on.

These simple but effective must-haves, must-do rules for creating an uncomplicated and winning small business brand strategy are essential in today's business world. Every business needs it. Stay true to your values and message and remember to stay authentic and consistent in your brand and marketing efforts.

Do this and your business will stand out from the competition, and you’ll become the needle in the haystack. You'll be seen, recognized, and establish yourself as an expert in your marketplace with time and effort. 

Now that you have your unique business brand identity out of your head and in draft form - you can begin refining it and making it actionable.

If you need or want help with this process, please book a discovery call to talk about it.

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~ Becky O’Neill, Author
Founder of Specialized Business Services LLC

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Keywords: Brand, Brand Building, Brand Strategy, Small Business Branding, Small Business, Service Based Business, Service Business