BRANDING ON A BUDGET Every business, big or small, B2B or B2C, needs branding. In order to gain and retain a customer base, you need to build a brand that tells your customers who you are, what you believe in, what you will provide. Many mistake branding as their name and logo. No doubt, that is the starting point but the truth is that branding is the connecting strand that touches every aspect of your communications and even your organisation. From how phones are answered and visitors are greeted, to employee behaviour and dress code, your brand should permeate it all.
Some low-budget branding ideas include: Consistent corporate identity: Start by choosing a distinctive name, developing a unique logo and trade marking it. Now build on your logo with a corporate identity programme that helps you carry the same design elements and colors into all the visual aspects of your brand, such as your website, business cards & stationery, employee uniforms, signage, marketing materials, shopping bags, email signature and more.
A well-branded business website: Today, a website is essential to establish credibility and build brand. Invest in designing a website that represents your brand and uses the same brand elements such as typeface, colours and brand imagery. Make sure content speaks in your brand voice and is optimized for search engine optimization. Consistent social media presence: Everybody’s on social media these days and the best thing is that it is essentially, free! On the five main social media platforms - Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter – establish your presence and then maintain it. Then based on your target audience persona,