You wouldn’t want to continue without these simple steps.
Your business is up and running! However, it’s a little sluggish, and you’re not sure what’s stopping you from growing. You’re on social media; you have a logo; you have your colour scheme. Now what? Maybe, it’s worth looking at a brand strategy checklist to help you.
Branding is a topic that can get very complex, but there are some key things you can do yourself as a small business to improve your brand presence on a small budget.
You know your company better than anyone. Many other people don’t, and you need to spell it out for them. Think about and write down what you do so that everyone understands exactly what you deliver. How do you sell your business when you talk about it?
As a starting point, let’s try a simple exercise.
What if you met someone at a crowded event and you only had a few seconds to speak before getting interrupted? What would you say your business does to get your point across effectively?
A typical scenario that many of you may have experienced could be something like this:
Scenario A:
You: Hi there, lovely to meet you – tell me about your business.
Businessperson 1: I make my own earrings; I love creating them. They are so pretty; you should see them.
You: Lovely, what kind of earrings?
Businessperson 1: I work with mostly pearls and precious stones
You: Nice, where do you sell them and to whom?
Businessperson 1: I have a webshop, but also do pop-ups and some at home, so it varies – I don’t know to be honest. I get a lot of recommendations, so that’s how it keeps going, I suppose.
You: Ahh, so how is business going for you?
Businessperson 1: It’s going ok, but could do better
You: Hmm, sorry to hear that.
Summary:
Businessperson 1 thoughts: No new sale, no new prospect, no interest or impression – or worse, no thoughts at all!
Your thoughts: Nice for her, but just another small online retailer that sounds like everyone else and whom I will forget in the next 30 minutes. I guess it’s not for me as she didn’t seem to show any interest in what I might be interested in, and I didn’t feel connected or inspired.
Scenario B
You: Hi there, lovely to meet you – tell me about your business.
Businessperson 2: I offer sought-after handmade limited-edition earrings to the bold and busy city women who want to feel more confident. I design and make every piece at home in my studio using only precious metals and stones that I source on my travels here in Asia.
All my pieces are available at the online shop or at pop-ups. I have recently started offering VIP visits to my home, where I offer a bespoke custom service that has become very popular.
Please take my card to have a look; as a businesswoman yourself, I’d love to create something for you. If you sign up for my email updates, I’ll be sure to keep you updated.
You: Sure, that sounds great.
Summary:
Businessperson 2 thoughts: Maybe she’ll buy something, maybe she won’t, but we’ve started the dialogue, so I can begin working on our relationship… it could be that in a couple of months, after a few emails and a pop-up notice, she’ll buy something. She could also provide a new audience of possible customers.
Your thoughts: She seemed like she was in control of her business and knew what and to whom she was selling. As a business owner, I felt connected to her values and inclined to support her. I love earrings, and it sounds like a brand I am interested in associating with.
Who would you rather be?
To achieve the second scenario, you need to know your business and your audience well. By writing down your strategy, it will be easier for you to communicate your brand message.
When you communicate clearly, you attract the right target audience.
So, how can you write your own brand story to get started? Here is your checklist to ensure you are on the right track.
Define Your Mini Brand Story
(You find hints in the brackets for extra help if you’re struggling here based on the scenario above)
WHY DOES YOUR BUSINESS EXIST?
What purpose does this business fill? (to support female empowerment and to ensure every bold creative woman has an opportunity to feel confident and shine?)
WHO IS YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER?
Create 1-3 Avatars – characters of who you are selling to. (Jill is a senior corporate director who works long hours. She likes to feel confident yet feminine and elegant and pays attention to what she wears. She is married with two kids and lives in Central Singapore. She loves yoga, going out with her girlfriends and wine. She is time-poor but money rich and makes quick decisions if it means convenience)
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE?
What future do you want to help create? (a more confident, creative and bold female society)
HOW DO YOU DO IT?
What are you here to do? How do we solve this problem? (by offering handmade, one-of-a-kind creative pieces to enhance each woman’s inner personality)
VALUES
What do we care about?(female empowerment, confidence, encouragement, passion)
These are the key aspects of your overall brand strategy checklist, which help align you with your target market. The biggest mistake many business owners face is creating the brand they like themselves and forgetting about the target customers they need to attract. You must continuously fulfill your customers’ needs and wants in your messaging to inspire them to buy your product or service.
So, always start any brand activity with your audience in mind rather than your products or services, and you’ll soon get to close the deal and grow your business.
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