Your small business brand is more than a logo

We’ve all been there before: Sitting in our car or flipping through the channels on the TV only to come across a catchy jingle or catch-phrase. And hours later, for whatever reason, that dang tune is still in our heads.

You know you’ve been there.

And as much as these jingles may be catchy (or annoying) in our minds, they are not the sticking points for brands today and neither is a flashy logo. Branding is about connections. It’s about promise. It’s about establishing a relationship with the customers around you.

Your brand is more than a logo. It’s your personality. Your value. The human aspect you bring to your organization. And now, more than ever, it’s important to have a strong handle on what your brand represents—from your visual identity to your online conversations and in-person interactions.

A shift in focus

Trends in branding are not focused around what’s hot in 2012; they’re about what will sustain your organization for years to come. It’s a new way of thinking. Small businesses that understand the need to create and provide value with their brand will stand the test of time. Consumers are looking for:

• Real-time branding and conversations
• Engagement and transparency
• App-centered access

Your audience wants real-time engagement. This means you no longer determine when and where conversations happen about your brand. Additionally, your constituents will see right through marketing speak. No longer will it be enough to tout “We are the business for (insert fad service/product here).” What do you mean? What value do you provide? Lastly, if you’re living with your smart phone or tablet attached to your hip, you better believe your audience is as well. Brands need to make themselves accessible in as many formats as possible. “Do you have an app/mobile site?” will be a common question for event planners, organizers and brands in general.

Digital vs. Traditional

Fully integrated branding includes offline and online media. It’s important to realize that, even if your organization is not active on social networks, your consumers are. Your customers are using their personal networks online to talk about you and the experiences they have with your business—your brand. It’s your job to be in tune to this personalized content and conversations so you can offer the value and experiences that your audience is looking for and respond, in a human voice, when necessary.

Consumers are empowered by engagement. Determine what is most engaging—a printed brochure about your services or someone having real-time conversations online about your offerings? Choose your platforms carefully; be aware of where our consumers spend their time and receive their information. Using outdated communication platforms will only frustrate your audience and prove ineffective for your business.

What does this mean for small businesses?

Be aware of the change around you. Your brand may look fine on paper, but are you talking the talk and walking the walk? Are your customers looking for ways to engage digitally and utilize technology? And if so, are you taking notes and making it a point to engage with them in the spaces where they hang out? Be vigilant when it comes to the following three aspects of your brand:

1. Awareness: Monitor your brand—especially online. Take time to listen to your audience as they’re going to tell you what they want and need. To stay ahead of your competition, you need to make change before they do. Listen to your online communities and take to heart what they are saying about your organization and what they need from you.
2. Messaging: Be clear about what you want others to know about you. There are a lot of messages being sifted through each day—online and offline. How are you getting yours out there? Be deliberate in the messaging and brand you want to portray and stick to it. Make it short and sweet, but create value. What do you provide that others do not?
3. Needs: Prepare to meet the needs of your consumer. Set up a branding structure that is established in values and deliverables, but fluid enough to embrace change when it is presented. Trendwatching.com recently published its take on consumer trends for 2012 which includes things like a cash-less future, crowd-based problem solving and instant visual gratification. Use these trends to your advantage when planning events and determining the function of your own brand.

Implementation

Your branding efforts may be affected by the size of your business, your budget or other resources. However, I’m here to tell you that everyone, no matter organizational size or structure, can make small strides in developing branding strategies and identities that fall within the new norm—what your consumers want.

First assess your current resources. If you are serious about moving ahead of the competition, you’re going to need dedicated staff or outside support to maintain and be a part of this new process. Once you have your branding team in place, use the following as your guide:

• Time (dedicate enough time to be a part of the conversation with your audience)
• Community involvement (ask questions and poll your community/audience)
• Ownership (give your staff and consumers a voice)
• Authentic voice (don’t automate human interaction)
• Appropriate channels (content calendars and social media plans help)

Melissa Harrison is CEO at Allée, a branding and marketing firm in Albertville. She may be reached by email, on Twitter or follow her company Facebook page for even more small business branding and marketing tips.