So you’re a new entrepreneur, your business is in its initial stages, and you are looking to begin really making a mark in terms of branding for your audience.

Having a trusted brand will lead to loyalty from your customers and recommendations to others, which can be essential in any market, but particularly one which is busy. To stand out amongst the crowd and leave a lasting impression on existing or potential consumers, it is wise to enhance your branding. Using business signage and posters are useful ways to get your name out there. Plus, consider implementing these tips:

Define your Social Personality

Your initial social posts may have been focused upon your opening, and already include a sense of the online presence you wish to possess. But making a clear and defined social plan of who, what, why, where, when and how, will allow you to remain consistent and ensure you are using individual platforms effectively.

By doing your research first, you can find more information on which types of angle work on social within your industry and identify an opportunity to remain distinctive amongst competitors.

Branded Packaging and Merchandise

Whether your business is digital or not, it is beneficial for your branding to be visible in some kind of physical form. One option is to create promotional items to give away at conferences and networking events to remain memorable long after the event. If your products are delivered or collected, packaging them attractively while displaying your name and logo will provide a feeling of luxury and personalisation for your customer.

Think Starbucks cups – they have created something people even want to be photographed with. To give your business an edge however, try to package all items entirely sustainably. Another thing to think about is merchandise – particularly for online-only businesses or service providers.

Sourcing blank products from companies like Adventa ready for print, gives you the choice of numerous products to provide to your stakeholders.

Think about Partnering Up

Collaborations with other businesses are a sure-fire way of expanding your audience. By working with companies where your values and styles align, you could create complimentary products to your own portfolio without directly going into that market.

This type of work also generates hype and interest, where countdowns, hashtags and further elements of marketing could be explored. Giveaways not also increase awareness, but also engagement, and those which require the user to tag a friend offer the opportunity of new customers through a form of word-of-mouth communication.

Optimise your Site

It is advisable that all companies have a website, so if you’re a small business currently without, use this point to your advantage and create your site with the following in mind. You want your site to rank for relevant keywords, so ensure each of your pages are optimised accordingly.

Include keywords in headings rather than images, and only quality content which is meaningful to the user. Use aesthetic images and design your website thoughtfully, with your linked social accounts customised correspondingly, as consistency really is key here – especially when first starting out.

Choose a theme and layout which reflects your company ethos and be sure to include any information your customers may like to know, even your mission and values.