If you have just registered your new business you now need to figure out your branding before you can start selling your products or services. It can be quite a lot of work and seem endless, but it certainly doesn’t have to be difficult. Today, the variety of technological tools that we can harness to make this journey easier is a goldmine and this article will shed some light on the essential tools for branding your small business.
1. Graphic design
Building a familiar brand is essential for customers to associate the products or service with your business. There are a number of amazing ways you can create a beautiful logo that represents your business, either on your own or hiring a professional. It would be well worth the time and effort to shop around to find the perfect option for you. If you wish to save costs and are familiar with applications like Photoshop, definitely give it a go designing yourself on your computer and see what you can come up with.
If you require more assistance, websites like Canva are excellent and easy to try and create your own logo with. Many creatives are now even using Instagram to showcase their previous works, making it easy for you to choose the style you like best.
2. Selling online
Today there is no product or service that can’t be sold through the internet. Photographers are even selling their presets (filters for images) online and it is wildly successful. No matter the product or service, there is a market for it somewhere in the world and the way to reach them is the internet.
There are a number of excellent online marketplaces that help facilitate this if you want to expose your products to a wider market. However you can also create your own website through which to sell your products. In both instances. you’ll need to have a privacy policy and terms & conditions for your business.
3. Scheduling apps
To prepare for your branding strategy, you should have lots of content ready to post. Nowadays it’s all about creating visually aesthetic yet relevant content on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube and blogs. However, posting everyday yourself is not really a viable option. It’s time consuming and often the best posting times are the middle of the night to reach the other side of the world.
Consequently, scheduling apps will be the ultimate tool to overcome this challenge. Facebook has its own post scheduling tool, but for Instagram it is best to research on the different apps available to find the one best for you. There are apps best for multiple accounts, or others that are free if you just need basic scheduling capabilities. Do not underestimate the power of these apps because you only need to sit down one afternoon to organise a whole months worth of content that will be automatically posted for you.
4. Trademarking early
Having your branding protected is essential, so it’s always a good idea to trademark your new business early. Once you come up with the logo it should be trademarked to avoid it being stolen. While the process may seem official and intimidating, it can be easily done in minutes online. To find out more about trademarks and details as to what constitutes a trademark check out the IP Australia website.
5. Influencer marketing
Ask any successful online business owner what the key to their brand awareness is and they will all swear by one thing; influencer marketing. This entails reaching out to individuals who have a substantial following and sending them your products to post about. Alternatively for services, they can endorse your service to their followers as well. Typically for very famous individuals with a following of over 1 million people, they ask for anywhere between $600-$1,000 per post or mention. Some will have packages though if you wish to have multiple posts. This is a great way to reach millions of people in one go, however it doesn’t stop there.
Influencer marketing needs to be constant so your potential customers are constantly reminded of your brand. This is where it’s handy to have lots of smaller individuals with a following of anywhere between 2,000 and 10,000. Usually these influencers may not ask for any monetary compensation, relieving some stress on your bank account.
Conclusion
To sum all of this up, the essential tools you need to back your business are a mix of apps, websites and labour. Building brand awareness and having a solid online presence will most likely determine the success of your business in today’s climate, but the key is maximising your time and effort by using the tools available to you.
