Nike, Apple, Coke. Each company is instantly recognizable, all because of one thing: their brand. These large companies, and others like them, have spent uncountable dollars to make this happen. But powerful brand recognition isn’t something reserved for mega-corporations, and in many ways is more important for the small business looking to make its mark. A company like Coke can expect a certain amount of sales based on the fact that it is Coke and in many ways is the de facto choice. Small companies on the other hand do not have this luxury.
When a company talks about shaping their brand, what they are really talking about is shaping the perception of their company in the eyes of the consumer. They do this in a variety of ways:
Brand Name, Logo Design,  Slogan, Brand Promise ; Each of these elements (and many others) help contribute to the consumer perception that makes up a brand. In future articles I will go through each element in depth and give some concrete advice on how to use each one to enhance a companies brand. But for now I am just going to oultine each one and take a brief look at how the contribute to a companies brand.
Brand Name
This can be either the name of a company or a product line. Companies spend alot of time and money figuring out the perfect name for a new product line. I myself have spent countless hours in front of the computer searching through the dictionary, the thesaurus and google trying to find the perfect name for a new project I am working on. A good name can set your company apart and help shape your company’s image in the consumers mind.
Logo Design
Many time a company’s logo design goes hand in hand with their brand name. Most copanies include their brand name in the logo, this helps to keep the brand focused and in site at all times. From typeface to colour each part of the logo helps to focus the brand image and solidify it in the consumers mind.
Slogan
Not all companies opt to include a slogan as part of their branding efforts, but many do and it can have a very positive impact on creating a brand. A good slogan helps to solidify the message that the brand is pushing. While the name and logo paint a subconscious picture of what a company is doing, a slogan puts it right out in the open for all to see. Slogans can be so powerful, in fact, that at times they can replace the name/logo as the most recognizable feature in a company’s brand.
Brand Promises
Brand promises are by far the most ephemeral of the parts of a brand, but can be some of the most powerful tools in the brand toolbox. Many brands have lost market share and fallen by the wayside simply because they couldn’t deliver on the brand promise they made. Brand promises are almost always left unsaid, though at times they may be part of the slogan, but the promise is always there in the back of the consumers mind. And when a company delivers on their promises a customer remembers, and is likely to come back for more.
So what does this mean for the small business owner? While small businesses do not have the same resources that a larger corporation does to hone and perfect a brand through countless trials and focus groups, they do have the abitlity to find a brand identity and shape it through their own efforts. In many ways their brand can be stronger because of a tighter focus and the ability to control its development more completely. With good research, some smart spending, and mostly a lot of time and hard work, the small business owner can develop powerful and focused brand identity that can help their business grow.