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A recognizable brand is key to establishing your business. A huge chunk of modern advertising centers around branding, in this era of social media more than ever. Here are some ways to make your company’s brand a little more widely recognizable.
Branding can seem nebulous or abstract at times. Put simply, branding is really just the creation of an aesthetic plus a voice. A simple, direct image and messaging that evokes a feeling or sensation that lets people know exactly what you’re about.
Or in other words – create a distinct personality. In the case of most small business owners, that’s you!
Think about the following questions. Just what do you want your customer to feel when they do business with you? Or what do you want them to envision when they think of your business? One example might be the sweet, light pastel colors of a frozen yogurt shop – or the harsh retro-aggressive font of a paintball arena, advertising excitement and danger.
The reason it may take a while to develop a solid consumer base who is familiar with you and your brand is because it takes time to insert the brand into the local consciousness. A lot of people need to be aware of you, and they need to do it as fast as possible if you want to start making money. So, put your brand everywhere you can.
Look into what other successful local businesses have done. That might be visually on billboards, on local TV or radio stations, or displayed on your company vehicles. A quick tip – car wraps have a lower installation price than painting your brand onto your vehicle.
Including budget for advertising in the early days of a business are critical for this very reason.
The fact of the matter is that social media is indelibly connected to modern marketing. It’s simply the nature of the beast, so to speak.
While a social media presence for your brand certainly relates to the previous point of spreading it everywhere you can, it is also very different from typical advertising. Instead of being a static sign that displays information to passersby driving down the road, social media demands content. It demands interaction. That means you advertise by forming connections – which will look different for every brand – with potential local consumers online.
Branding takes time and effort, for sure. But the image that it creates in your location’s local consciousness is an extremely valuable and lasting asset that cannot be overstated. Taking the time and money to create and propagate a brand means that your business will be just that much more successful.
Check out this article on how to write an about us page that hits your target audience!
Brand Strategist • Fractional CMO • Artist Who Still Cringes at Bad Logos
Before I ever touch colors or logos, I help entrepreneurs uncover what their brand actually needs to say. With over 30 years in marketing and a background in fine art and commercial design, I guide clients through the kind of brand clarity that turns confusion into confidence—and yes, sometimes that starts before you even have a name.
I’ve helped nonprofits, startups, and multi-billion-dollar companies rebrand from the inside out. My process blends psychology, emotion, and positioning strategy so that everything from your messaging to your visual identity finally clicks. I’ve even had logos for large corporations in use for 25+ years—but my real joy is watching entrepreneurs light up when their brand finally feels right.
Because branding isn’t just about how it looks. It’s about how it works.
Vicky Wu, CEO
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