When it comes to your business, it feels like you should care about everything. From the quality of your product and the experience of your service to your website, social media, pricing, press, operations, workflows—you get the idea. And while there is always a lot on your mind, we get that you have to make choices and set priorities when it comes to what you are going to “care about” on any given day. But, when it comes down to it, we often see a lot of small business owners put their branding at the bottom of the “what I care about today” list—letting it slide along the way. So today, we wanted to encourage you make your brand something you pay more attention to (whether you are creatively inclined or not). Read on to learn the big reasons every small business owner needs to care about branding and show yours some love.
Your brand is what customers and clients interact with first
Your brand is one of the things that sits at the tippy-top of your marketing funnel, meaning it is extremely likely to be the first thing your potential clients and customers interact with. So, if your brand is in charge of making a great first impression (and encouraging people to go further down your marketing and sales funnel), you want to make sure it’s always being presented in the most up-to-date and on-brand ways—not doing so can lead to confused customers.
A strong brand can make you money
Your brand is not just a face or a logo—it is the foundation of how customers perceive your business. And perception matters when it comes to making decisions, especially when it comes time to buy. In fact, studies have shown that companies with strong brands can charge up to 20% more for their products than companies with weak brands. (Think about every designer good out there as an example.) So, at the end of the day, if you have a strong brand, people will be willing to pay more for what you are offering because they perceive your business to be more valuable, established or quality.
A unique brand can help you get funding
If you are looking for investors or business loans, your brand is likely to come into play (seriously). Because when people are considering whether or not to give you money, they want to feel confident that you will be able to use that money to grow a successful business (and give them a return on their investment). So, one of the things that potential investors will look at is your brand. They want to see that you have a strong foundation and that you are able to communicate what your business is all about in a clear and concise way. If they don't see that, it will be harder for them to believe in your vision and invest in your company.
Your brand can help you attract and retain talent
In order to grow your business, you need to have great employees. But in order to attract great employees, it really helps to have a strong brand. Because when talented, skilled, hard-working, creative people are looking for a new job, they want to work for a company that has a clear identity and purpose. They want to feel like they are part of something larger than themselves and that they can make a real impact. If your brand has a strong identity, it will be much easier to attract the right candidates. And once you have them, a strong brand will help you keep them—because people are more likely to stick around at a company that they believe in and are proud to be a part of.
A recognizable brand can help you get through tough times
Every business goes through a rough patch (or two) at some point. And when those tough times come, your brand will help you get through them. If you have built up a strong relationship with your customers and they believe in your brand, they will be much more likely to stick with you during tough times. On the other hand, if your brand is weak, customers won’t remember you, will be more likely to jump ship at the first sign of trouble—plus, you’ll have a hard time finding new ones to replace the ones you’ve lost.
So, there you have it—a few of the many reasons why small business owners need to care about branding. If you’re not a creative person, branding may not seem like the most exciting thing in the world, but it is essential to the success of your business. And Enji is here to help you give your brand some love! Learn more about how our brand asset library, style guides, and media kits can help you build your brand and its reach.
