Brand Identity for Small Business: Why it Matters

As a small business owner with hundreds of tasks to juggle, it’s easy to ignore things like logos, keywords, and the usability of your website. After all, you’re not a corporate company. Why should you act like one? Keep reading to see why brand identity is important for your small business.

Let’s start with the basics.

What is brand identity?

Brand identity is simply the personality of your brand. For many small businesses, it reflects the personality of you, the owner!

What are the characteristics of your brand? Think about the colors, phrases, and style your brand leans towards. Take a moment to write them down or ask your customers what vibe or aesthetic they associate with your brand. Having a strong brand identity goes hand in hand with knowing your ideal customer. When you know your ideal customer, you will be able to cater to them directly and create value.

How to Find Your Brand Identity

Similar to finding your identity as a person, you might have to go through some awkward phases. That’s ok! Your goal is to establish what you think matters most to you and your business.

• What is the goal of your business?
• How do you provide value?
• What colors do you think of when you think of your brand?
• What style do you associate with your brand?

One fun way to establish your style is to create a mood board! Use either physical materials or apps like Pinterest and save things that go with the vibe you’re trying to create. Make a list of words and phrases you find yourself using when you talk to others about your business. It may seem silly, but keeping track will help you create a consistent message! Consistency leads to trust, and when your customers trust you, you’ll find that your business grows!

Hone in on Your Identity

Once you’ve started collecting data about your business, it’s time to bring it all together! This is where a trained designer or brand strategist can help! They can take your thoughts, dreams, and data and create beautifully crafted materials to help you stay consistent. While it’s more efficient and polished to hire a professional, here are some guidelines for bringing it all together.

• Create a master doc
• List the top 5-10 keywords and phrases that your customers also resonate with
• Choose your top 5 colors (ensure they’re cohesive together)
• Include your favorite pieces from your moodboard
• Write out your mission and/or vision statement

Once you’ve narrowed down the style and phrases you think work best, use this as a reference to keep coming back to whenever you’re creating social media content, designing your physical store space, or sending out a mass email!

Remember, it’s all about building trust through consistency with your customers!

Looking for someone to help you refine your vision? Schedule a risk-free client call, and let’s chat about it! I would love to help create a brand identity for your small business.