Branding

     Free daily tips, information and advice for people in small business
     from my lifetime of personal experience founding and operating businesses.

     Branding means positioning your business in the community. And it happens with every business, large or small. 

     Branding is who you are and how you are perceived. Your customers/clients get to know you and they spread the word. This means you need to be fully aware of your reputation, because it is spreading in the community.

     Small businesses create their brand--either consciously or unconsciously. Since branding happens whether or not you pay attention, it behooves you to focus on what's important to you. If it's important to you, it's likely to be important to others. 

     Build your brand on what you know.

     Example: I know a small restaurant that brands itself as a "scratch" kitchen. What the owner means is that everything served in her place is made "from scratch." By working her magic in her kitchen, she has tapped into the public's growing reaction against fast foods, frozen foods, prepared foods and the like. As the word spreads in the community, her restaurant grows.

     This lady recognized a growing social trend in the community she serves. That one word "scratch" conveys the focus of her branding. Branding helps separate her from the crowd. Other restaurants focus on "soul food" or "locally-grown foods" or foods specially prepared for vegetarians or vegans or allergy-sufferers. 

     Branding works across a full spectrum of businesses.

     Example: I know a computer expert who runs his own one-man operation. He specializes in small business networks, set-ups, troubleshooting, clean-ups and clean-outs, and providing support to small businesses having up to 10 computers. Early on he branded himself as the "jack of all trades" in computers, focusing on that gap that frequently exists between business owners and the machines they've installed. He answers all questions in non-technical ways, trains employees, shows them how to better do their jobs, and develops close relationships. His focus has made him the "go-to" guy who solves problems, and clients enthusiastically refer others to him. 

     Careful branding cements your relationships with your clients/customers. Branding defines who you are, and just about everything you do will reflect this. And, most importantly, branding brings in referrals.

     Questions? Email me at AlWarr16@gmail.com (put BLOG in the subject line) for quick answers that are FREE and private. After a lifetime in business, I have tons of experience with all sorts of problems--and a sympathetic ear. I'm not selling anything, and your privacy is always respected.