Startup/SME business branding

[James Duke]

Hi All,

I have been in business for many years and started multiple companies. Some failed and some were successful.

I sold my first company at the age of 22 and I noticed that branding is important to attract customers and investors.

I want to help people out and started a community for start ups, SME businesses that need help with their branding and how to scale using creative design.

I see many people struggle with this and wanted to help!

 

[Shopclicks]

It's odd that the key skills and takeaways of your Business Branding workshops, don't mention reputation.

There's a lot more to Brand than logos and graphics.

 

[James Duke]

It's odd that the key skills and takeaways of your Business Branding workshops, don't mention reputation.

There's a lot more to Brand than logos and graphics.

How do you know that we haven't included that and it is just about graphics and logo? Reputation is 1 pillar but a brand is things like getting your story to resonate with your customers to tonality to emotions and much more.

I get the skepticism but this is why Q&A are important so we know how to help other people.

 

[japancool]

I've heard of a community that caters to startups and SMEs. I think it's called UKBF.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Hi James - welcome to the forum.

As @japancool says, this is very much the community for the branding discussion- and it will be very lively!

One challenge you will enjoy is that there are a lot of people talking a lot of rubbish (Possibly in both directions), particularly where 'personal branding' is concerned

 

[fisicx]

I sold my first company at the age of 22 and I noticed that branding is important to attract customers and investors.

On the other hand, Dave the plumber doesn't need branding or investors. Not everyone is chasing the money.

 

[MarketingQuote]

Welcome to the forum.

Certainly Lord Sugar would agree that branding is a big part of the business mix.

 

[fantheflames]

Welcome @James Duke! Branding is very important, although @fisicx brings up an excellent point. Branding is more important for B2C than it is for B2B overall as plumbers don't need a branding plan to acquire customers.

However, B2C companies rely heavily on strong branding to create emotional connections with consumers. This helps them stand out in competitive markets and drive impulse purchases or premium pricing etc...

Looking forward to seeing your posts OP!

 

[ethical PR]

Hi All,

I have been in business for many years and started multiple companies. Some failed and some were successful.

I sold my first company at the age of 22 and I noticed that branding is important to attract customers and investors.

I want to help people out and started a community for start ups, SME businesses that need help with their branding and how to scale using creative design.

I see many people struggle with this and wanted to help!

What's your background in terms of branding is it in marketing and PR or as a designer? Why not post here with some initial advice?

 

[fantheflames]

Welcome @James Duke! Branding is very important, although @fisicx brings up an excellent point. Branding is more important for B2C than it is for B2B overall as plumbers don't need a branding plan to acquire customers.

However, B2C companies rely heavily on strong branding to create emotional connections with consumers. This helps them stand out in competitive markets and drive impulse purchases or premium pricing etc...

Looking forward to seeing your posts OP!

Just to add, *Plumbers operate in B2C, they don't necessarily need branding to acquire customers through word of mouth, advertising, and reputation. However, many other B2Cs like commerce, do rely on branding.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Just to add, *Plumbers operate in B2C, they don't necessarily need branding to acquire customers through word of mouth, advertising, and reputation. However, many other B2Cs like commerce, do rely on branding.

This opens the wider debate around what branding actually is / does.

In many definitions Dave the plumber does need a 'brand' in that he needs to be recognised & memorable for the right reasons (let's guess they include reliable, knowledgeable and reasonably priced). Of course, that doesn't entail a logo, colour-scheme or strapline.

Many will argue that is separate from a brand - I take the broad view encapsulated in the cliche 'Your brand is what remains when you leave the room'.

 

[fisicx]

However, many other B2Cs like commerce, do rely on branding.

Is that true? I've just brought some fence panels online. I did a Google search and choose the company based on price and delivery and reputation. At no time did I consider their branding as part of the decision.
There have been a lot of tests on this and very few people recall much more than the general shape of the brand. This study showed how bad we are at remembering branding:

Branded in Memory | Signs.com

The logos of global corporations like Apple, Starbucks, and Foot Locker are designed to create instant brand associations in the minds of billions who see them every day. But how accurately can we remember the features and colors of these famous symbols?

www.signs.com

And consider also how many times businesses change their branding. It's a corporate thing the marketing wonks all get excited about but nobody else cares.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Is that true? I've just brought some fence panels online. I did a Google search and choose the company based on price and delivery and reputation. At no time did I consider their branding as part of the decision.
There have been a lot of tests on this and very few people recall much more than the general shape of the brand. This study showed how bad we are at remembering branding:

Branded in Memory | Signs.com

The logos of global corporations like Apple, Starbucks, and Foot Locker are designed to create instant brand associations in the minds of billions who see them every day. But how accurately can we remember the features and colors of these famous symbols?

www.signs.com

And consider also how many times businesses change their branding. It's a corporate thing the marketing wonks all get excited about but nobody else cares.

Chicken & egg.

There are probably a few exceptions, but my money would be on the 'visual brand' following the success of the business, not vice versa.

 

[fisicx]

There are probably a few exceptions, but my money would be on the 'visual brand' following the success of the business, not vice versa.

I agree. Starbucks didn't become famous because of a mermaid logo. And that original logo bears very little resemblance to the current iteration.

 

[fantheflames]

That's true. It's a very interesting point!

But if there's two companies offering similar products, prices, and delivery options, then I'd say that the branding would play a massive factor in the user's deciding factor. From an advertising perspective, branding can tell a story that creates emotional connections, communicates values, or builds trust, which can alter a person's perceived value.

While it's not always immediately obvious, the underlying influence of branding can shape a person's behaviour, which in the example above could be the key deciding factor in choosing one company over another.

 

[Shopclicks]

But if there's two companies offering similar products, prices, and delivery options, then I'd say that the branding would play a massive factor in the user's deciding factor.

Brand not Branding.

The reputation of the business plays a far bigger role in decision making than a cool logo.

 

[fisicx]

That's true. It's a very interesting point!

But if there's two companies offering similar products, prices, and delivery options, then I'd say that the branding would play a massive factor in the user's deciding factor.

I disagree. Ease of use of the website along with the appropriate trustmarks are more likely to be the deciding factor not the logo and colour palette.

I do my shopping at Sainsbury's. Not because of the branding, just because it's the easiest to get to. My sister shops at Lidl because it's on her way home from work not because of the branding. People buy from Starbucks/Costa because of marketing not because of branding.

There may be some unconscious connection to a logo in the high street if you meandering. But on a Google search your branding is invisible.

Do some testing. Remove the branding from your website and see what happens. I'd put money on conversion staying exactly where they are now. I did this some years ago with my websites and conversions have been increasing because there are no distractions.

 

[fisicx]

From an advertising perspective, branding can tell a story that creates emotional connections, communicates values, or builds trust, which can alter a person's perceived value.

Watch the latest round of car adverts. The branding is almost non-existent until the last few seconds.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

In the mass market, brand is less important than the premium market.

Branding has its place, but the product/service should always be front and centre.

 

[stokes89]

That's true. It's a very interesting point!

But if there's two companies offering similar products, prices, and delivery options, then I'd say that the branding would play a massive factor in the user's deciding factor. From an advertising perspective, branding can tell a story that creates emotional connections, communicates values, or builds trust, which can alter a person's perceived value.

While it's not always immediately obvious, the underlying influence of branding can shape a person's behaviour, which in the example above could be the key deciding factor in choosing one company over another.

I definitely agree with this. When comparing between similar products at the same cost, product and shipping options.

When we got our puppy around 8 years ago we wanted the perfect food to suit our dog. We settled on a certain one because you could speak to the nutritionist who was fully qualified, they are well known for this reason years ago, they coummunicated this very well and the food wasnt filled with rubbish.

The brand idenity was shocking though, no logo, horrible website and shocking colours. some of the competion looked fantastic but no connection and had all the same kind of story. I would never decide on a company's logo but i dont think thats what you mean?

 

[DontAsk]

I do my shopping at Sainsbury's. Not because of the branding, just because it's the easiest to get to.

We buy Aldi price matched stuff, and a few other items, from Sainsburys because we think they're better and the rest from Aldi across the road. Those two because they are convenient, not, particularly because of the brands.

 

[Mark T Jones]

The other side of the coin:

The micro-brewery segment is struggling a lot at the moment.

One (of several) reasons is that of scaling up - specifically getting into retail. Retail is ALL about shelf presence.

Bottles give some shelf presence - but it costs roughly £1 a piece to put beer into a bottle. So it's cans.

Getting cans to stand on a shelf is very difficult indeed.

This is an example of where visual branding is critical.