How Small Businesses Can Develop a Brand – Even if They’re 10+ Years Old

Because marketing will always carry with it an element of doubt, companies need to develop a brand. A brand is a shorthand way to signal to consumers that they know you, and hence, can trust you. In this article, marketing strategist Marcie Lord outlines how small businesses can develop a brand, even if they’re 10+ years old.

There’s been a lot of talk lately how AI is creating a huge trust gap with marketing. I personally do believe the onslaught of AI-generated content, and AI-driven search results, is creating fatigue and mistrust amongst consumers, but mistrust in marketing is nothing new.

Because marketing will always carry with it an element of doubt, companies need to develop a brand. A brand is a shorthand way to signal to consumers that they know you, and hence, can trust you.

David Ogilvy, who is considered by some as the “Father of Modern Advertising,” said that brand image is central to a long-term advertising strategy, and that the stronger and more distinct a brand’s image is, the more often consumers will choose to buy it over a competitor.

When we hear the word “brand,” big companies come to mind: Coca-Cola, Apple, Amazon. But you can probably think of small local brands near you that you feel like you have a sense of who they are and how they operate. It might be lawyers with big billboards, or it might be a local pet store that hosts adoption drives and has great social media.

This is all to say, every company, no matter how small, no matter if you’re a one-person shop, should have a brand. It is the moat that will protect you when your marketing efforts have down months or fall on their face. But how do you develop a brand? And what if your company has been around for a while – can you still develop one? I dive into all this and more here.

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How to Develop a Brand for Your Small Business

Step 1: Define Your Values and Mission – Figure out your “Why”

Outlining your company’s mission and its values is the watershed moment for your business. This is also referred to as your “why” – why did you decide to build this company? Knowing the answer will help dictate your website copy, your colors, your target audience, and your elevator pitch. It will dictate how you carry yourself when you talk to customers. 

My friend and personal trainer Baltazar Villanueva owns Relentless Spirit Personal Training & Nutrition and his mission is this: to help all people, in every stage of life, build strength, confidence, and whole-body health.

Some companies make their “why” about affordability, like Walmart. Some are about luxury that makes you feel important, or discount luxury that still makes you feel important, or helping children, or clean living – the list goes on. So start your branding process by asking: “why did I decide to start this small business?” 

Pro Tip: Even if it’s technically true, don’t go with “my why was to make money” or “my why was to be my own boss.” Trust me, there truly was a bigger reason that you decided to start a business.

Step 2: Choose Your Niche

You cannot – and should not – market to everyone (I talk specifically about this as it relates to financial advisors and niche marketing), so your business needs a niche, a sub group of the general population that you specifically sell to. You can still be somewhat broad – like focusing on all moms, or all pet-lovers – but as a small business, you will find the most value in homing in on hyper-specific personas.

But once you figure out your niche, you’ll marry that with your “why,” and your branding ideas will start to fall into place. It will be much easier to figure out marketing strategies when you know who you’re trying to reach, and the thrust of what you want to say when you reach them.

Step 3: Figure Out Your Message By Developing an Elevator Pitch

Knowing your reason for what you do and the audience you want to target will help you define the attitude you use when you approach customers. 

For example, Digital Dynamo once worked with a divorce attorney who said his reason for doing his job was he wanted to make sure children got the best outcomes when their parents split. He didn’t want to stick it to the other parent, he only wanted to make sure the kids were treated fairly. So he crafted his messaging around prioritizing children, and targeting parents who wanted to make sure their kids were protected.

But there are divorce attorneys out there who are more motivated by justice for the mistreated spouse. They make their messaging all about sticking it to the other parent, and go after an audience that feels maltreated by their significant other.

When you choose the attitude you want to use, you then need to craft your elevator pitch. When you have an elevator pitch, then it can be the foundation for your messaging, whether it be for blog posts, social media posts, or even your company slogan. 

Develop your elevator pitch following this process:

1. Identify the Problem

Start by stating the problem your audience is facing. This shows you understand their pain points.

Example: “Many small business owners struggle to attract customers because their websites confuse visitors.”

2. Present Yourself as the Guide

Introduce your role in solving that problem and position yourself as a trusted expert.

Example: “I help businesses clarify their message so they can connect with their audience and grow.”

3. Offer the Solution

Explain how you solve the problem. Focus on the benefits, not just the features of your product or service.

Example: “Using a proven framework, I create websites that clearly communicate your value and guide customers to take action.”

4. Paint the Picture of Success

Show the audience what their life or business will look like if they use your solution.

Example: “When your message is clear, your website works like a 24/7 sales machine, turning visitors into loyal customers.”

5. End with a Call to Action (CTA)

Invite them to take the next step, whether that’s scheduling a meeting, visiting your website, or connecting on LinkedIn.

Example: “If you want to learn how to make your website more effective, let’s set up a quick call.”

Example elevator pitch:

“Many small business owners struggle to grow because their websites confuse visitors and fail to communicate their value. At Digital Dynamo, we help businesses clarify their message and create websites that convert visitors into customers, helping businesses thrive. If you’re ready to turn your website into a powerful marketing tool, let’s schedule a quick chat.”

Step 4: Develop Your Aesthetic

Now that you know your “why,” your target audience, and the foundation of your messaging, developing your brand’s aesthetic – color palette, typography, logo, iconography, and business name – will be much easier.

Note: Many reading this will say “but I already have a business name.” That’s fine, but keep in mind, your business name may heavily dictate how you can market your business. A business name like “Digital Dynamo” doesn’t have strong branding implications other than it highly signals it’s a digital-related company. But a name like “Big Dick’s Biker Bar” really pigeon-holes you as a biker bar meant for the uncouth (I say “uncouth” as a compliment here).

Anyways, you can hire a branding agency to help you figure out the aesthetic, or you can do some of the legwork yourself: Christy Price on YouTube has a fun video that shows you how to use Coolors to help you choose a color palette. Some general guidance on brand colors:

RED

Commonly associated with invoking strong emotions and appetite. It also signals passion and anger. It creates urgency and is used by brands that are targeting a younger crowd. Brands like Coca-Cola, McDonalds, and H&M use the color red.

ORANGE

Orange signals aggression, warmth, excitement, and enthusiasm. It’s an energizing color and represents a confident business. Brands like Dunkin’ Donuts, Fanta, and The Home Depot use the color orange.

YELLOW

Cheerfulness and warmth are the leading emotions when yellow is used. It promotes communication and optimism. Brands like National Geographic, IKEA, and Shell use the color yellow.

GREEN

Green is associated with good luck, health, and nature. It helps to get rid of depression and represents new growth. Green is heavily used by medical organizations, hospitals, green energy and conservation organizations. Brands like Whole Foods, Girl Scouts of America, and Perrier use the color Green.

BLUE

Blue is a very widely used color for technology and healthcare businesses. It signals productivity and calmness, and creates a sense of security and trust. Brands like Facebook, IBM, and UnitedHealth Group use the color blue.

PURPLE

Purple is often related to spirituality, royalty, femininity, and creativity. It is often used for beauty and anti-aging products, but has a universal quality so can be seen used in a wide array of brands. Companies like Taco Bell, Crown Royal, and Urban Decay Cosmetics use purple.

PINK

This color invokes love, tenderness, care, and emotion. Often it is used to represent products or services related to women, girls, and children. Brands like Barbie, Lyft, and Victoria’s Secret use the color pink.

BLACK

Black signifies power, mystery, elegance, and luxury. Think of brands like Adidas, Nike, and Chanel, and you get the picture.

There are many articles and experts devoted to the science of logos, typography, and company names for branding. I won’t get into all of that here.

Step 5: Be Consistent and Market Your Business

After the branding collateral has been created, now you need to be consistent.

Always use the same brand colors and typography (liberties can be taken occasionally). Extrapolate your business’s branding with social media marketing, website design, SEO and GEO/LLMO, your print materials, and any storefront signage.

Always use the same messaging, drawing on your elevator pitch for inspiration. You don’t need to use the exact words all the time, but the thrust should always be the same, and the target audience should always be the same. Again, use this messaging across all your assets – socials, website, in-store marketing, etc. 

Per the Branding Strategy Insider, consistency isn’t about being rigid. It’s about being intentional and recognizable.

Remember, the whole purpose of developing a brand is to create a shorthand way for customers to easily trust you. We trust the consistent parent, teacher, and boss because they give a sense of stability. You want customers and potential customers to feel the same way.

This consistency comes into play when you do your marketing. Without any marketing, developing a brand is almost pointless. Start with your website and social media, and when it’s time to scale, you can look at doing other channels that make sense for your business. 

How Older Companies Can Develop a Brand

If you have a business that’s been around for more than 10 years, people may already have notions about your company. They could be milquetoast notions. They could be totally off the mark from how you see your company. They could be bad.

If you’ve been around for more than 10 years and you now want to focus on developing a brand, the system I’ve outlined will work for you. It’s ok if you need to rebrand. 

Before you decide if a rebrand is needed, get an assessment of your current brand perception. You can do this with:

• Customer surveys
• Focus groups
• Analyze your social media – are people engaging or following?
• Search the internet for your company name – are people talking about you? If so, what are they saying? 
• Probably the easiest thing to do is ask your friends and family how they perceive your company, and give them the freedom to answer honestly. 

The answers you hear will clue you in on what’s working, or not working, in your current strategy.

The Takeaway

Branding, and the public’s perception of your business, is one of the few things no one can take away. The government may seize your assets, Google may crater your rankings, but the feelings people experience when they hear your business name will remain. This is why building a brand is one of the smartest things a business owner can do.

If you’d like to learn more about how Digital Dynamo can help you build a brand, please contact us to schedule a consultation.