Small Business Branding – What’s In a Name?

Companies such as Nike and Apple have turned branding into a science – and you can too.

Take a branding stroll with me down memory lane for a moment. Do you recall when it was popular to wear product brand names prominently across your chest or even your bottom?

Companies like Ralph Lauren, Coca-Cola and Calvin Klein really took advantage of creating huge marketing opportunities with the concept of self-branding.

Well, not too much has changed since then. Branding is evolving into an even bigger marketing goldmine through social media.

Hardly a new marketing concept, personal branding was first introduced in a self-help book in 1937, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.  As a new entrepreneur, I knew branding would be a vital component to the overall success of my business.

Therefore, I didn’t take it lightly and dedicated my full attention to the process.

Branding is defined as the development in creating a unique name and image for a product or service in the consumers mind. My branding goal was aimed at establishing a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers.

I started the branding process for my health-coaching business at a local coffee shop with a friend.

I soon realized I would need additional time and guidance to ensure my brand was a true representation of my business and myself. I’m sharing a few insights I learned along the way that helped me and might help you whether you’re developing a brand now or want to refresh your image.

Do Your Research

Conducting thorough research on the onset of the branding process can potentially save your business money, time and even embarrassment in some cases.

At the coffee shop, the iPad and iPhones were buzzing with all sorts of web searches that included website domain names and popular logos. I scribbled out several ideas and key words I wanted my brand to represent on a napkin.

During this phase of branding, I discovered several valuable resources for guidance and assistance.

I attended a few SEO (search engine optimization) classes provided by a local university small-business development center. I also took advantage of online courses on the Foundations of Logo Designs and Brand Building Basics through Lynda.com.

These classes were extremely helpful in providing me a bigger picture of how my brand could make a greater impact in social media with key knowledge and proper planning.

As a health coach, I wanted my brand to portray a theme that was relevant and real to my trade. I made a connection with the word “movements” but still felt it lacked personalization.

So after a few more creative sessions, “Q Movements, Go Further Today” was created.

Next- Be Consistent and Live it