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Membership News
5 Ways to Build a Brand for Your Small Business
By Suzanne Bates
When we think of branding, it’s easy to think of big players with big brands, like Nike or Coca-Cola. If you’re an entrepreneur, you know that your business needs a brand too. But I’m guessing you don’t exactly have the same budget as Nike or Coca-Cola!
So how do you work with what you have? When you run a small business, you can't possibly meet all of your prospective clients. You must devise a strategy so that they come to you, because they hear about you.
A personal brand for someone in a small business is instantly recognizable, stands for something of value, and creates word of mouth about you. As we all know, word of mouth is an absolute must if you’re going to have a successful small business.
Here are 5 budget-friendly ways to build a powerful brand for your business:
1. Volunteer to speak to organizations, professional associations, conferences - anyplace where your clients and customers go. If you have an interesting, relevant presentation, people will flock to the podium after your presentation to talk to you.
2. Step up to be on panels at events where you can talk about a hot topic in your area of expertise. You get exposure not only to those who attend, but to anyone who receives promotions about the event.
3. Write articles - and do media interviews. Media trainers, PR firms and other experts can help you get media ready.
4. Project a powerful professional style, everywhere you go. Your wardrobe, grooming, personal style, body language and voice send out loud and clear signals. People often decide based on just a few signals whether you are worth their time.
5. Make sure everything you do is high quality and consistent - your web site, brochure, business card, even your office. Every one of these things sends out signals about your company.
Remember, branding doesn’t have to cost a lot, it just takes some thought. Building a personal brand is about using your head; it’s ingenuity.
Suzanne Bates is president of Bates Communications, a communications consulting firm that helps business leaders and executives speak with an authentic voice of leadership and get a competitive edge in business. Her firm's clients include Fidelity, Mellon, State Street, EMC, Blue Cross, Interactive Data, and Cabot Corporation. Suzanne is also the author of Speak Like a CEO: Secrets for Commanding Attention and Getting Results (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005), which has been translated into Russian and Chinese. Prior to starting her successful consulting firm, she was an award-winning television news anchor and reporter. She can be reached at info@bates-communications.com or by visiting www.bates-communications.com.
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