Better Branding

Whether you're a small-business owner who's looking to invest in brand marketing for the first time, or someone whose current branding efforts are falling short, you need to carefully consider your next steps.

Here are five useful tips for getting started, or back on the right track:

1. Be Realistic
Before venturing forward with a brand marketing plan, small businesses should set attainable objectives and not try to mimic their larger competitors. "The first imperative for a small business is to live within your means," says Tom Simons, president of Partners & Simons, an advertising firm based in Boston. "Understand what kind of brand marketing methods and tools you can afford."

2. Consistency Counts
Once a small business decides to invest in branding, executives should firmly define the message they want to convey about the company. "That becomes the driver for all marketing going forward," says Beth Barbee, president of Darwin, a strategic communications firm that specializes in brand development, based in Denver. "Every single piece of communication, even if it's sales oriented, should be treated as if it has some accountability for that [company's] brand," she says.

3. Tap Into Resources
When it comes to implementing a branding program, "in with the new" does not necessarily imply "out with the old." One of the most cost-effective resources a small business has is the endorsement of its old customers. A small business should concentrate on "using its earliest customers as a means to attract more," Simons says. He recommends using referral programs, testimonials, and Internet communications like Weblogs to harness positive customer experiences. "The most effective and authentic brand marketing communication is word of mouth," he says.

4. Make It Clear
Brand messages should be concise and to the point so that people on the receiving end are not left confused or scrambling to uncover the meaning. "Don't overexplain yourself," Simons says. "A small business embarking on a brand marketing program must be able to communicate the proposition in a few sentences—meaning two or three."

5. Be Patient
Regardless of how big or small your company's budget is, implementing a branding program is not going to move sales needles overnight. For companies that can't afford to invest in pre- and post-awareness research to measure results, "make sure they give enough time to see how [branding efforts] change year-over-year sales, by comparing with years when the branding wasn't in place," Barbee says. She recommends companies wait 18 to 24 months before assessing the impact.

Sales & Marketing Management