Marketing Insight: Positioning and Branding for a Small Business
Here are some branding guidelines for small businesses with limited resources.
Focus on building one or two strong brands based on one or two key associations.
Small businesses often rely on one or two brands and key associations as points-of-difference, to be reinforced across the marketing program and over time. For example, Volcom has successfully adopted a “Youth Against Establishment” credo to market its music, athletic apparel, and jewelry.
Find a compelling performance advantage.
Meaningful differences in product or service performance can be the key to success. The online storage firm Dropbox.com carved out a strong competitive position at the start, partly by virtue of its single-folder approach to accommodate a user’s multiple devices.
Develop a digital strategy to make the brand “bigger and better.”
The Internet and mobile marketing allow small firms to have a big profile. Sales for Rider Shack surf shop in Los Angeles increased when the firm began using Facebook’s special features to keep the brand in front of people.
Encourage trial in any way possible.
Use sampling, demonstrations, or other methods to engage consumers and encourage trial. See’s Candies allows in-store customers to sample the candy of their choice. As one senior executive noted, “That’s the best mar-keting we have, if people try it, they love it.”
Create buzz and a loyal brand community.
Word of mouth is important, as are cost-effective public relations, social networking, promotions, and sponsorships. Evernote has several dozen “power users” who spread the word about the brand.
Employ a well-integrated set of brand elements.
Small businesses should develop a distinctive, well-integrated set of brand elements—brand names, logos, packaging—that enhances both awareness and image.
Leverage secondary associations.
Secondary associations—any persons, places, or things with potentially relevant associations—are often a cost-effective, shortcut means to build brand equity.
Creatively conduct marketing research.
A variety of low-cost marketing research methods can help small businesses connect with customers and study competitors, such as working with students and professors at local colleges and universities.
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