Branding - we all know the word and hear it used all the time. But what does branding actually mean? We know that it’s important for Maccas and Coca-Cola to have a good brand image and invest time and money in building their brand – “but why is branding important for me, just a small business owner” (you might ask)?

Branding, or more precisely, good branding is vital for any business, big or small. It’s how you define your business and connect with your customers. It’s how your customers remember you and it’s why they keep coming back.

Businessdictionary.com defines branding as “the process involved in creating a unique name and image … [that] aims to establish a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers”.  A bit of a long winded explanation, but put simply they’re saying that branding lets you stand out from your competition, allows you to expand your customer reach and make your customers loyal.

Great, so now you know what branding actually means - but how do you make sure that your business has great branding? In all honesty, it’s not rocket science and as long as you follow a few essential steps and stick to it, your business branding is sure to be a success.

The first step to good branding is actually knowing your business. Sounds too simple, right? Well, it can be as long as you, the business owner, can in all honesty identify what your business actually is and what it isn’t. From here, you can establish your starting position and take your business in the direction that it needs to go. Get comfortable at being able to critically analyse your business.

As a business owner you’re selling a product or service, whatever it may be, to customers – who may not think or look at things the same way you do. You need to remember that you are promoting your business to them, so it’s not all about you. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes and critically view your business from their perspective. If you find that difficult, you can always just ask them!

Make sure that your business branding is consistent. Your website, logo, posters and any other marketing materials need to reflect the same brand message that your business is trying to convey. Your customers need to be able to trust your brand, so this means they need to see it everywhere. If your branding is all over the place, and if for instance, you have multiple websites, it will confuse and annoy your customers & dilute your branding – then there’ll be no trust. And needless to say, no customers.

While, we’re talking consistency – make sure your business is consistent at connecting with your customers. This will not only further your brand message, but will also build your customer loyalty. There are multiple ways you can do this, and email as well as SMS marketing are two that you should definitely stay on top of.

Having consistent branding means that your customers will come to rely on your brand. If something goes wrong, and a customer has a negative experience at your business – don’t waste time! Apologise and provide a satisfactory resolution and preserve your brand message in your customer’s mind. Customer loyalty is king.

Lastly, monitor your brand and always stay on top of your brand message. Listen to what the customers are saying – their opinions are your gold mine. Treat social media and review sites as your friends, not foes.

Know your business inside and out, define your message, remain consistent, always be proactive and listen – and your brand will begin to resonate in your customers’ minds!