Achieving a marketing mindset is an essential component of realizing who you are as both your brand and your business. Delineating and comprehending this concept can be immensely beneficial for any marketer.
Mindset shapes the way a person thinks about their role in a small business, influencing their behavior and the way in which they respond to a challenge. The idea of a marketing mindset isn’t new, and research suggests that mindset has a strong effect on the ability to improve individual capabilities and the bottom line of small businesses.
Building a strong brand is essential for any business but especially for small businesses. A strong brand identity can help your company stand out from the competition, attract customers and build trust with them. As such, investing in creating a powerful company brand and adopting a marketing mindset is one of the best things you can do for the success of your business.
When you own a small business, you want customers to think of your brand first when they’re looking for products or services. But what does building a brand actually entail? Here’s the ultimate guide on how to build a brand for your company and stand out from the competition.
Discover Who You Are as a Brand
New mindset…new results!
The first step in building a powerful brand is to know who you are as one. You need to define what makes you unique and set yourself apart from competitors. Ask yourself questions about your company culture, values, and mission statement.
What do you want your customers to think of when they think of your brand? And how can this be conveyed through your messaging, products, and design? Once you have answered these questions, use them to create an authentic story about your business. This will be the foundation of all marketing materials that represent your company.
Having a marketing mindset will help you develop your unique voice, too!
Establish Foundational Elements to Develop Your Unique Voice
What truly sets a brand apart from others isn’t just about what you see. It’s about the components that come together to craft cohesive messaging and voice to deliver that message. Another step to creating your brand is to develop a unique voice that reflects who you are and what your company stands for.
The unique voice can include elements like the language you use, how you communicate with consumers, and how often you post updates on social media or send out emails. You’ll need to establish foundational business branding elements to paint the larger picture for messaging.
This includes:
- Vision statement
- Mission statement
- Archetype
- Purpose
- Values
- Positioning
- Voice/tone
- Brand story
- Ideal audience/personas
It’s also important to keep in mind that this voice should remain consistent across all platforms and channels. This will help build trust and familiarity among customers, which can lead to repeat business.
Identify Target Audience
Being able to accurately identify your target audience is a critical marketing mindset that you need. This is to make sure your marketing efforts are going toward the right people. Brands should spend time getting to know who they’re attempting to attract and serve.
Knowing who your potential customers are will help you craft a message that resonates with them. It can also help them understand what they need from your company. The best way of doing so is by doing market research and segmenting your audience into different groups based.
“Identifying your core values and beliefs is imperative in building your brand identity, as it lets your customers know what they can count on when they support your business.” ~ Sara Sabilauskas
Consider factors such as age, gender, income level, interests, and lifestyle when crafting your ideal customer profile. You should also consider psychographics, such as This will help inform all other aspects of building your brand identity.
Make sure not to assume that everyone in one demographic demonstrates the same behaviors. Every person has their own unique traits and qualities. This should always be taken into consideration when marketing.
Now that your target audience has been identified, it’s time to use your marketing mindset to help develop and design an eye-catching business logo.
Design an Eye-Catching Logo
Once you know who you’re targeting, it’s time to create consistent messaging and visuals that reflect who you are as a business. This includes everything from designing logos to writing copy. You also need to decide on colors and fonts to use throughout all of your collateral.
Consider both digital and physical versions to make sure all materials communicate with customers effectively. All of these elements should work together to create an impression about what makes your company special and stand out among competitors.
For example, let’s say you want to come across as an innovative company. Use modern font styles and bright colors or unique color palettes. If you want to present yourself as reliable, choose more traditional designs like serif fonts and softer colors.
All the elements should be intentionally chosen to keep the messaging cohesive. This means using bright colors, bold fonts, and unique shapes or patterns should reflect your company’s mission or values.
A good logo isn’t just aesthetically pleasing. It should also be recognizable and easily identifiable by customers. Logos are especially important when it comes to digital marketing.
Having an attractive logo can help draw attention to your website or social media page. It’ll also make your business more memorable for potential customers.
Embrace Social Media & Blogging
Social media platforms have become invaluable tools for businesses looking to grow their reach online. It’s also an effective way for companies of any size to build relationships with their customers by providing useful content like blog posts that speak directly to their needs.
Regularly updating social media accounts allows businesses to stay top-of-mind among followers. You’ll also be able to gain insight into customer preferences and behaviors. Track these things by analytics and monitoring comments and responses on posts.
It’s essential to choose the right social channels that work for your brand. This means going where your audience already hangs out. For instance, if you want to connect with business professionals then LinkedIn would a great choice.
Don’t worry about trying to be present on every platform from the beginning. Start with the one or two that you can focus intensely on and grow steadily. Expand to other options only if it makes sense for your business (avoid trying to be everywhere just for the sake of it).
Additionally, creating a blog gives small businesses an opportunity to establish themselves as industry experts. 77% of internet users read blogs regularly. You can boost organic search engine traffic through high-quality content.
Before you start blogging, develop a strategy that considers the buyer journey. Consider the type of content your audience needs at every stage. Also, plan the content around relevant keywords related to their product/service offering.
Create Quality Content Regularly
Content is key when it comes to brand building for your small business. You need content that accurately reflects who you are as an organization and resonates with customers on an emotional level. Create content that speaks directly to their needs and solves their problems in ways they can relate to.Create quality content regularly that reinforces your message while engaging with current and potential customers. Posting regularly on social media platforms can help keep followers engaged with your brand. It also drives traffic to your website or store if applicable.
You can also start a blog where you share tips related to running a small business. Consider highlighting customer success stories or creating interactive content. Make sure it showcases who you are as a company and what makes you different from competitors.
Having the right marketing mindset will help you think beyond traditional marketing channels like print ads or radio spots. Also consider blogging, email marketing campaigns, influencer collaborations, videos, and podcasts. Use whatever will help tell the story of who you are as a business.
Connect With Your Audience to Build Community
Building relationships with customers is integral when it comes to branding success. Make sure that whatever message or content you’re creating connects with people on an interpersonal level by using language they can understand and relate to.
“No one knows your brand better than you do. Because YOU are your brand.” ~ Sara Sabialauskas, Director of Social Media Strategy at 316 Strategy Group
Consider engaging with social media platforms such as Twitter or Instagram where potential customers may already be interacting with other businesses similar to yours. They are typically already looking to forge meaningful connections with people who care about the same things they do. This is a chance to highlight the products or services offered by your business.
Also, take advantage of platforms and features that allow you to build community. Software like Discord and features like Facebook groups are examples of this.
Use a Marketing Mindset to Push Your Brand Forward
Creating a strong brand identity and a marketing mindset is essential for any small business owner looking for success in today’s market. Remember that every element of your branding should be designed with the goal of helping customers recognize who you are. You’ll also be forming positive associations with your business so they feel comfortable buying from you over others in the market.
Building an effective brand doesn’t happen overnight but the payoff is worth it. Consistency is key when it comes to branding so make sure all of your efforts reflect who you are as a small business. By following these steps, you can create a strong brand identity that resonates with customers both online and off.
“Being authentic and genuine will always win. People want to buy from and work with businesses because of the people behind the business. Great products are everywhere, good people are not.” ~ Sara Sabialauskas
Let 316 Strategy Group help you create a unique brand in your industry. We will help you stand out in the crowd! Contact us today to talk to your Omaha branding expert and begin the journey of transforming your business.
