Brand Identity
A Guide for Small Business Success
October is NSW Small Business Month and this year’s theme is My Small Business, which encompasses the different aspects of being a small business owner. In this series of articles, our expert business coaches have each shared their ideas and insights on how to shape your business to be the best it can be.
Have you given much thought to your business’ brand identity? This article will take you through the impact that branding can have on your business’s image and sales growth, as well as the steps you can take to get you on the path to developing a positive brand image for your small business.
Brand identity is the face your business presents to both your customer base and the general public. It comprises the visible elements that define your brand in the minds of consumers, such as colour schemes, design styles, and logos.
As MTC Australia business coach Shane McNulty succinctly puts it, “It’s the visible elements of a business that identify and distinguish your brand in consumers’ minds.”
In the ever-competitive world of business, a distinct brand identity can be your differentiating factor, helping your small business to stand out!
A well-crafted brand identity serves a number of important functions, including:
- Consistency and recognition: It provides a consistent visual and emotional representation of your business, making it easily recognisable.
- Trust and credibility: A strong brand identity fosters trust and credibility among consumers, as it signals professionalism and reliability.
- Differentiation: It sets your business apart from competitors, highlighting your unique value proposition.
Here are four useful tips from Shane for creating a defined brand identity to strengthen your small business:
1. Define your brand’s style and identity
Determine the style and identity you want your brand to embody. Is it cool and youth-focused, organic and natural, chic with a bohemian flair, or serious and professional? Your choice should align with the product or service you offer and, most importantly, your target audience and their preferences.
2. Ensure consistency across all visual elements
Consistency is essential to the success of your effort to cement your brand’s image in the mind of your potential clients. Ensure that all elements of your brand, such as colours, logo, fonts, and photo styles, are uniform across all marketing and promotional materials. This visual consistency will help create a lasting and cohesive brand image.
3. Consider Professional Graphic Design
If needed, engage a professional graphic designer to help craft your brand’s story and image. Experienced designers can transform your ideas into a cohesive, compelling visual identity that resonates with your audience.
4. Maintain Consistency
Now that you’ve made all the collateral consistent… keep it that way! Ensure you continue upholding the standards you’ve set for your brand identity, so your customers can have an integrated and seamless brand experience time and time again.
The key benefits to you as a small business owner
1. More repeat sales:
A memorable brand identity encourages customer loyalty and repeat sales.
2. Increased business valuation:
A well-recognised brand can enhance the value of your business if you decide to sell or seek investment.
3. Higher average sales value:
A strong brand can often command higher prices and lead to increased sales revenue.
4. Potential for reduced promotional spending:
Recognisable brands require less marketing investment to generate interest and sales.
5. Improved customer service:
A strong brand can make your customer service more efficient, as customers will already have a clear understanding of your business.
Need help establishing a unique brand identity for your business?
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Our track record of success
“I’ve really enjoyed mentoring sessions with Kathleen through the Self-Employment Assistance Program. The sessions helped me to voice out my business vision and plan, get feedback on my ideas, stay on track with my tasks and communicate new offers.
It is so important to have someone that keeps you accountable and listens to you as working for yourself can get overwhelming, especially at the start of the business endeavours. I would highly recommend the Self-Employment Assistance Program to any new business entrepreneurs.“
“MTC has provided me with a wide range of skills, abilities, and knowledge. Further, through their mentoring program, they have provided extremely valuable advice in many aspects of the business operations.
Finally, as I gained a Bus (Management) / LLB (Honours), I incorrectly assumed I would not learn anything new or of value. The course work, combined with the classes, were a great foundation for the establishment of my business, and the ongoing mentoring has provided guidance to keep me on track to reaching my personal set targets.”
“Being a Mum of 5, life can easily get in the way, especially when it comes to my business. I knew how to do some things but had no real business knowledge until I found MTC Australia.
With Workforce Australia’s Self-Employment Assistance, I learned how to operate my small business. The ongoing mentoring was also super helpful and has continued to drive my success. I had an amazing experience learning through MTC Australia and have come leaps and bounds ever since.”
“I have been delighted to have Simone Moss (Redfern) as my Industry and Skills Coach. In the short time I’ve had Simone’s assistance, I’ve become very aware of her amazing, and realistic, understanding of the nature of being a small (seed) business owner. Particularly one who has survived an unplanned, global pandemic, and the associated business challenges that came, unexpectedly, with Covid.
Thanks to Simone, I now have an MTC business mentor, and I am able to access other small business avenues of support and training, relevant to the nature of my business. Accolades of thanks to Simone and MTC Australia!”
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