The term “Branding” has been a popular marketing buzzword for several years now. Some of the information available makes the branding process seem monumental from the perspective of a small business owner. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Small business can effectively support and build their brand by following four simple rules.

1. Take an Audience–Centric approach. Think about the person who is purchasing your product and refine your content so that it is relative to their needs . For example, there is a particular audience that seeks out a BYOB restaurant – frequent customers often have extensive wine cellars in their home and prefer to select wine from their own collection. That’s a market niche.
2. Establish the proper tone of voice. It’s important that the tone of voice used is consistent across all mediums. A hip and casual business would be fine using teen friendly acronyms on social media channels. However, a B2B likely wants to speak in a more professional tone since business owners are the key audience.
3. Know the core value of the brand. If health and safety are in the forefront of a sports based business, be sure to communicate those values core values in blog and social media posts. In this instance, the services of a sports media relations firm could be ideal in helping to build a brand and generate a buzz about it online.
4. Consider blogging for exposure. Blogging is one of the best ways for business owners to spread the word by sharing knowledge as an authority in their field.

Twas days before Christmas and all across the net,
Small businesses had not set their New Year’s goals yet.
Their blogs were outdated, portfolio’s a mess,
They’ve slacked off of Facebook and Twitter no less!

Santa would frown if he only knew,
Not an email has gone out in 4 weeks – boo hoo!
Marketing & branding are crucial today,
Be sure not to let that visibility stray!

But, there’s help on the way, so Oh never fear
For those who want to stand out next year.
Be it a restaurant or Spa that wants to be found
or those who are lost and just and fumbling around.

DreamPix can help to find your market niche,
Just give me a jingle and a chance at the leash.
We’ll come up with a plan to suit your own needs
and generate invaluable new sales leads.

The moral of the story? Set some new goals,
ramp up the website, fill social media holes.
It does take some planning – that’s where DreamPix stesp in,
to help you woo Google so next year’s a big win.

A logo may be at the cornerstone of the branding process but it does not define a brand alone. Branding runs far deeper and permeates the entire being of a company. A brand is reflected in the customer experience, the logo, the website, in marketing collateral and in the appearance and professionalism of employees and leaders in the business.

It is essential that every business owner embrace the art of branding. Brand awareness is essential as is having a strategic plan in place to insure that the branding message is intentional.

While branding has become a buzz word these days, the importance of it is often neglected in smaller organizations and newly formed businesses. Embracing a brand from the start is easier and less costly then attempting to implement branding 5 or 10 years down the line.

What does good branding accomplish?

1. Branding promotes recognition and hence, referrals.
2. It distinguishes a business from its competition.
3. It tells the company story and creates a connection with customers.
4. It promotes a sense of identity for employees and staff.

Start with a good idea, build on it and pay allegiance to it. Solid branding is the foundation of which an empire can be built.

When a business is in the market for a new website they are often interested in an overall facelift of their company brand. Like anything else, logos, brand identity and websites become stale and dated over time. Change can be scary and many business owners fear that if they alter their brand they may no longer be recognizable. But, even global brands know they need to stay current and that change often breathes new life into an old brand.

An updated website will be responsive and sleek meeting the latest technological standards. It makes sense that a logo should be adjusted with updated typography, colors and graphics. It is highly likely that a company brand has evolved over the years as well as how they do business and what they have to offer. It is important that these changes are reflected in the branding.

In recent years, some of the biggest names in the industry have reinvented themselves including iHOP, Open Table, SBARRO, Google, Ritz Carlton and more recently, MasterCard. Take a peek at this article in Business Insider for more on the brand makeovers.