When you look at brands now, it is fascinating to see how evanescent some of them are: The golden arches of McDonald’s, the siren of Starbucks, the red and white of Coca-Cola, or the swoosh of Nike. We take their brand icons for granted, but not a lot of us know how much time and money was spent on those icons and indeed in the strategies implemented to make sure they remain emblematic.

That is also why so many small business owners are hesitant to start their own branding initiative. As a start-up, the team might only consist of less than 10 people and the money might not be consistently coming yet. This is going to be a problem because if a brand wants to achieve notoriety, it will involve money for promotions and manpower to execute content.

But do not worry, there is always a way around matters like this. And for branding, it is all being consistent with the brand image that you are building.

Have a unique selling point or brand trademark

The success of your branding initiative is dependent on customer retention. If consumers can easily remember you when they talk about food, drinks, or services, then you are already inching closer to being a top-of-mind brand. 

To do this, your brand voice, tone, and image must be clear to you. How do you want people to remember you? How do you talk to them? What kind of language do you use? What image can easily conjure up your brand name but is also related to your industry?

You can start by choosing the right domain name for you. For instance, if you are an Australian business, you may choose a domain name appropriate for your territory. 

Follow a house style guide

Branding does not stop with your business name and logo. It extends to how you are going to use the logo, what colours you are not allowed to use with it, the fonts you should use for official documents, and so on. 

You will have to create a comprehensive branding guideline. This will list down how each member of the company will present your business on printouts and online. This will detail what your branding should look like, feel, and sound to consumers.

To make sure the guidelines are solid, you might need to consult with a branding specialist and a designer so they can help you cover everything, from billboards to calling cards. The key points that should be included are:

● Logo
● Tagline
● Brand voice (formal and corporate, informal and playful, etc.)
● Brand design (colours, fonts, borders, etc.)

You need to make sure everyone in your company and those you hired for billboards or posters are using the style guide. This prevents infringements and also helps in customer retention.

As a last tip, remember not to over complicate things for you. Choosing a simple layout will not jeopardise your branding at all. In fact, if your logo, tagline, and even your business mission are easy to grasp, then getting customers to keep you top-of-mind will happen naturally.