Is Branding Costly?
Perhaps the most common misconception. And it couldn’t be further away from the truth. In fact, branding does not cost a single cent. Branding does not need anything outside what a respectable business would do anyway. Therefore no extra expense is need. For example take the various elements of a branding project: At the start Brand Audit does research into what the target needs, the current market and the competitors. All this are data that is required to evolve services and products that are viable to consumers. As a result, all the data gathered can also be used when you want to create a relevant brand positioning.
After gathering all this data comes the next step. How do I make my brand unique, solid and attractive to my target audience? This is something that is decided anyway although in some cases it is built up unknowingly through the whole business process.
A name, a logo, a corporate direction and motto. This are some elements that are needed for business cards, signage and uniforms so more thought put into all those elements can better define and explain the marketing strategy of the company and ultimately the brand.
Countless good positionings have suffered due to bad experiences or because the brand has not been expressed into every touchpoint where it be business or consumer interacts with the brand. And at the forefront of this interaction, your staffs are ambassadors and have to be properly trained and have the drive and motivation to showcase the correct image for your brand.
Ask yourself. Could you or your staff do all of this without any outside help? Possible but they are most likely more skilled in other areas and probably have their hands full with developing your business. Bringing in a branding consultant to help you with your positioning might be more advantageous. It would incur extra expenses but there are government schemes like BrandPact from Spring/IE Singapore which come complete with grants to assist SMEs who are interested in developing a marketable brand.