Memorable Branding for Small Businesses

In today’s marketing world, showmanship counts, especially when it comes to small businesses. We’ve all heard of the legendary small, local businesses who have only continued to gain steam over the years. They’re the type of small companies that aspiring entrepreneurs and struggling business owners look up to. These incredibly successful, yet few and far between, mom and pop grocery stores, boutiques and food trucks make it look so easy. While it’s difficult to compete with already successful small companies that have an established reputation and flawless marketing strategy, it’s not impossible.

Whether it be social or traditional marketing, creativity and unique branding still goes a long way. Easily forgettable companies and brands eventually fade out, leaving room for innovative, upcoming companies. It’s important to remember that even in the age of social media and virtual marketing, traditional forms of marketing are still effective. Here are five ways to revitalize your small business in new, affordable ways.

 

Don’t rule out a postcard. These days, it’s easiest to setup a Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ page for your company. While it’s important, relying solely on social networks to do your marketing is dangerous. Remember, this is 2012- chances are, all of your competitors are using the same forms of online marketing as you are. If you’re only marketing online, you’ll quickly blend in with the crowd. Set yourself apart by sending a simple, clean looking postcard to your target audience. Even if it just has your website and Facebook page on it, customers will appreciate your additional effort.

 

Freebies count. Giving away free stuff is one of the oldest marketing tricks in the book. And yes, it still works. People love getting free stuff. Whether it’s as little as a pen with your company logo on it, or as generous as a custom company t-shirt, it’s always good to give something away for free. While it can quickly eat up your budget, even the occasional freebie for outstanding service goes a long way. Freebies can be distributed to valued customers, employees, or followers on social media outlets.

 

Don’t underestimate the corporate look. Think of every face to face transaction between your employees and customers as a job interview. Essentially, it is. Customers tend to favor consistency, even when it comes to your corporate uniform. Target is a perfect example. All Target customers know to look for individuals wearing red polos and khaki pants when they need assistance. This is as effective for small businesses. Choose a color that fits in with your logo, and consider investing in a custom embroidered polo shirt or jacket for each employee. Many small businesses have come to favor a ‘corporate casual’ look, so you can also consider imprinted t-shirts or caps.

 

Find your voice in social media. These days, there seems to be overwhelming pressure to interact on every available social platform. While it’s a good overall strategy, successful social marketing takes creativity and planning. Compare the various social titans- Facebook, Twitter, Google+ before creating a page. Weigh the pros and cons of each, and research what similar companies have done to gain a strong fan following. While you may be eager to act, consider how much time and energy per week you will have to dedicate to social marketing. Keep in mind that a strong, consistent Facebook page with a large following is better than multiple pages that don’t serve a purpose.

 

Be known for something. Too many small businesses fail because they’re trying to achieve too much at once. Start slow, and think about your overall goals. What are your products or services? Which have been the most successful? How can you continue to build on that success? Take it one step at a time, and know that’s it’s better to do one thing extremely well, rather than a few things poorly.

—-

Post contributed by Melissa Weidenborner on behalf of the Queensboro Shirt Company, a custom embroidered clothing company operating out of Wilmington, NC.