Building Your Branding Into Your Small Retail Business
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When you run a small business with a physical presence you know that in an increasingly digitized world it feels as though the deck is stacked against you. Increasingly, it seems as though customers will happily forego the customer experience you’re so eager to provide them for the sake of quick savings and convenience. In an era where drone technology will further remove human interaction from ecommerce, it seems as though a future where the human experience of customer interaction will be a quaint anachronism. But fear not! The highstreet is far from dead. While the face of retail is undoubtedly changing, the boutique experience you offer is not an anachronism, but your USP. There will always be customers for whom a picture on a smartphone screen isn’t a sufficient basis for a purchase. They will always want to see a product in the flesh, talk to a knowledgeable sales professional about it, get the tactile feel of it and ask any questions they might have to someone who knows their onions.
But in order to take their business to new heights of success in an increasingly digitized era, entrepreneurs must box clever and use branding to their advantage. But branding isn’t a “one and done” exercise. It’s not something that we consider at the startup phase and then leave to its own devices. In order to be successful, branding must be evident in every facet of your business from the way you decorate your premises to the products themselves. Here we’ll look at the importance of branding as well as some workable ways in which you can incorporate it into your business model to create a holistic customer experience that they simply can’t get from the impersonal click of a mouse or tap of a smartphone screen.
Is branding really that important?
It most certainly is. Branding is what allows Starbucks to charge almost twice what your local coffee shop will charge for a soy latte despite using beans and other ingredients of the same quality. It’s what makes customers walk past independently owned sandwich shops to get a McDonalds. Rightly or wrongly, fairly or unfairly, customers flock to the familiarity of brands. Why? Because in an uncertain world, customers crave consistency. In a capricious economy, they want to know what they are spending their disposable income on. As the cost of living rises, customers don’t want any unpleasant surprises. It’s the reason we keep seeing the same kinds of movies dominate the multiplex, the same music dominate the charts and the same chain restaurants up and down the high street. Every time you see people wait in line to see a Marvel movie or eat a Big Mac, you’re seeing the power of branding in action. But just because we understand the importance of branding doesn’t mean that we understand exactly what it is and what it isn’t in terms that will benefit us.
What branding is and what branding isn’t
A branding is not just getting a graphic designer to put a flashy logo together or coming up with a catchy soundbite for your slogan. Your branding must be written though your business like a stick of rock. It should be an encapsulation of everything your business is and what it stands for. It should be what attracts customers and keeps them coming back. Your brand should make a promise. It should tell customers what they can expect from an interaction with your business each and every time they use it. It should quickly and effectively communicate what your business can give customers that they won’t get from your competitors. Your brand is also a big part of your business’ identity. It can help to give your business a sense of personality and character that sets it apart from your competitors. Don’t be afraid to channel yourself into your branding. After all, your business is the sum product of your years of unique experiences, insights, imagination and ideas. Those are all things that your competitors can never ever replicate.
Branding from the outside
When prospective customers walk past your premises, what aspects of your branding are visible to them? How do you use your premises’ exterior to hint at your brand promise? What will you do to make your premises look inviting and engaging? Will you rely exclusively on your signage or will you employ a company that creates Custom Graphics For Windows? What products do you have on display and how will you incentivize your customers to buy them from you rather than your competitors? Remember that little things like dirt, dust, erosion, decay and graffiti can all cheapen your facade’s appearance and undermine your brand’s promise so it’s vital that your exterior is clean, tidy and well maintained.
Branding from the inside
Having tempted prospective customers into your physical store, how will what they see reflect your branding and the qualities you want to associate with your brand? How do sales professionals acknowledge their presence? Your employees are ambassadors of your brand and the way they interact with customers and prospects will leave an indelible impression on how your brand is perceived. How well maintained, clean and tidy is your interior? What colors and textures can the customers see? Remember that colors have a huge semiotic impact on how the customer perceives your brand. For example, blue represents technology, innovation, hope and optimism which is why it’s so prevalent in the the branding of tech companies. Red is a carnal color associated with passion and animal urges which is why it features so prominently in food and drink marketing. Orange indicates playfulness and fun while green is synonymous with the environment. The right use of color can make a customer feel instantly at home or it can create a sense of cognitive dissonance which makes them feel ill at ease.
And finally… Branding online
Even if your business has no interest in incorporating ecommerce into its operations (although a bricks ’n’ clicks approach has helped many contemporary retailers find success), it’s a good idea to have an online presence. Social media platforms are a great vehicle for customer engagement while a website can help to give your brand a sense of personality that will attract new customers and retain the faithful.
Creating regular content such as blog posts, videos, competitions, and giveaways will establish your brand’s voice while also building value into customer engagement.
