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Effective Branding Strategies for Small Businesses on a Budget

While we at Accelity think branding for small business isn’t always the best use of marketing dollars, many small businesses spend a lot of money on their brand. This is why we’ve decided to give you strategies to create your brand on the cheap. Contrary to what you might think, branding doesn’t have to be expensive. This blog examines several effective branding strategies for small businesses operating on a budget.

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Start with the basics.

When people think of branding, most people think of logos, taglines and business cards. And that’s for good reason—these are important aspects of effective branding.

As you shape your business identity (your brand), make sure you have a logo, color scheme and business cards to represent it. Your goal should be to have a logo that is identifiable and represents your business.

So how can you do this on a budget? Hire a designer on Fiverr to create a logo for you—many will create a logo for just $5. If you are looking for inexpensive business card options, Vistaprint creates and sends a package of 500 business cards starting at a cost of about $8.

 

Get creative.

There are many creative ways that small businesses can promote their brand for little or no cost. One idea is to create a fun or catchy slogan that will stick in customers’ heads. Another is to create one or more videos that capture your company story and essence. Creating videos on your smartphone is a great budget option.

Brainstorm creative ideas to extend your brand—but make sure you don’t choose a strategy just for the sake of being funny. Any initiative needs to match your company story in order to be an effective branding strategy.

 

Create content that fits your brand.

One of the most effective branding strategies on a budget is creating content that expresses your brand and voice as a company. A great place to start is with a blog, sharing expertise, advice and information that your potential customers would find beneficial. As you create that type of content, you brand yourself as an expert in your industry and someone trustworthy. This is an incredibly effective branding strategy, particularly on a budget.

Pro tip: Use a site like WordPress to host your blog for free.

You can also expand your content creation to pieces such as ebooks, infographics, checklists and other resources that would appeal to your audience. This not only extends your brand, but can generate leads if you require a form fill before downloading the content.

 

Develop a deliberate social media presence.

An extension of the content creation strategy mentioned above is a deliberate social media strategy. This means you would build a strategy that defines the type of content you want to share (your own and third-party), and the voice and persona you will have on that social account. What’s the story you want your brand to tell? Your social media presence should express that, and done well that can effectively promote your brand.

 

Make a name for yourself.

One of the most effective branding strategies is giving customers a reason to tell their friends about you. It may be because of one of the strategies above (such as a funny video they share, or an informational article they recommend). However, it can also simply be the way you do business, such as offering exceptional customer service that makes people talk.

 

Do you have other effective branding ideas that don’t require deep pockets? Let me know in the comments below! Are you looking build a stronger image for your small business? Contact Milwaukee marketing agency, Accelity, for help.