Many people want to start a business in Pakistan or want to switch from job to business. This can be a great idea, but did you know that 50% of the startups fail within first 5 years? One of the reasons that is highlighted in this regard is the improper small business branding.
Branding is more than just creating your social media presence and marketing ideas. According to research, around 60% of companies claimed that adding 10% to the consistent branding of their small businesses boosted 20% of their growth. This shows that proper branding has the ability to make your brand stand out.
However, you need to know that the branding of your business might require a little more effort and a budget as well but small businesses have budget constraint. Considering this, the following are some budget-friendly ways for small business branding that you need to know.
Understanding Business Branding
You might have always heard that branding your business is an important part when you start your business. The word ‘branding’ might direct people’s minds towards marketing the brand, which is not wrong. Marketing your business is a part of branding, but there is more to it as well.
Business branding includes everything that makes your business stand out among others. It solely depends on the creativity of your mind that attracts the target audience and boosts your business. Whether it is the name of your brand, logo, your idea, creation, vision, brand voice, prices, or social media presence, everything counts as business branding.
Furthermore, through proper branding, your clients are more likely to remember your business. This will further help your business grow and flourish. Hence, be mindful of business branding and opt for unique ideas.
“Products are made in a factory, but brands are created in the mind.” ~ Walter Landor
Considering the importance of business branding, the following are some ways to achieve it.
Create Your Brand’s Story
When branding your business, try creating your brand’s story. The storytelling of your brand can include your vision and idea behind your brand. Not just this, but you can also include the founder’s journey. Create an impact on the customer’s mind by showcasing your true intentions behind your brand. You can add your brand story on social media platforms or your website, which shows your authenticity as well. However, before you jump into inexpensive ways for small business branding, this is one of the ways that helps you target the audience effectively.
Give Your Brand Identity
Another thing that you can do is to make your brand look aesthetically pleasing. Now, for that purpose, you need to opt for some ideas that only resonate with your brand’s identity. For instance, almost every business brand creates a logo, but how to use it perfectly is what matters the most. You can use the logo in the following ways:
Get Customized Boxes: You can get customized boxes for your products with the brand’s logo on them. Wondering how it will help you? These customized brand boxes can be a way of representing your brand.
For instance, if you are running a DIY jewellery business in Pakistan, you can pack the product in customized boxes of your brand. Not just this, but you can also get the boxes made for a baking business as well. This will give your product the identity of your brand.
Brand Cards: Just like getting customized boxes of your brand, it is also important to get cards made as well. The card should include your brand’s name, logo, social media accounts, and contact information.
However, a big mistake that is made by small business owners is that they forget to set aside a budget for brand building. If you are new and thinking of starting your business, remember to wisely budget everything. Furthermore, know that getting the customized boxes and cards will require a budget, but they are not too expensive if you get them in bulk.
Make People Talk About Your Brand
One of the easiest ways to attract people to your business is to let them talk about your brand – in a good way, of course. It is the low-cost brand strategies that spread your business among people. It has been noticed that the total of 76% of small businesses opted for For this purpose, the following can be some ideas for you:
Surprise Your Customers with a Gift: Imagine how you would feel when you get a free gift on ordering something from a brand. Yes! That is exactly what you need to do with your customers. When they make an order from your brand, send them a small present. This can either be a gift card, a coupon, or a free product. Besides this, you can also gift your client something that you feel associated with to create a sense of connection. For instance, I might give my favorite book or a handwritten note to appreciate their purchase.
Giveaways: You might have seen brands doing free giveaways on their social accounts. And let’s be honest, you might have commented on the posts in the hope of winning a gift. That is exactly what the brand was aiming for. Announcing a free giveaway of your product makes your brand appealing, and people might open your profile only to be a part of the giveaway. See how smart, right?
Furthermore, this also does not cost you much. I mean, you only have to give away a product for free, and in return, you get more potential customers.
Select Customer of the Month: Another way of making people talk about your business is by selecting the customer of the month. But this needs to be done under certain criteria. For instance, user-generated content can be a way in which customers share their experience with your product. Identify your loyal and supportive customers and announce them as customers of the month. However, this idea only requires perfect execution and no budget. All you need to do is post their picture or video on your social account.
Conclusion
When planning to start a small business in Pakistan, complete research and understanding the market play a crucial role. However, this way you can get a complete knowledge of your selected niche. For this purpose, explore the competitors and see what they are offering. Focus on making your brand unique and different from others. Besides these important factors, you also need to know that for small businesses, proper branding plays a crucial role. All the tips and budget-friendly ways will help you create your brand’s identity and attract more customers.
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