Great branding is essential for small-businesses and entrepreneurs. If done right, great branding translates into almost automatic purchases.

Just think: how great would it be if customers would purchase a new product based solely on your name or logo?

While this might sound near impossible, it is the realty for top-brands like Apple, Lincoln and Beats.

Now, if you’re thinking, “Well, of course. That’s because they’re a million dollar brand,” you may want to think again.

There are thousands of local and small-named brands out there - like, perhaps you’re favorite local restaurant or mom & pop shop! - that have build a loyal fan base solely due to their effective branding initiatives.

If you’re wondering what makes effective branding, then you’re in the right place.

Below, I’ll highlight what branding is, as well as examples of effective branding for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

What is Branding?  

Branding is assurance. Your key brand stakeholder can be a name, a logo or even a popular item. Regardless what it is, your brand should provide customers with assurance of what they can expect when purchasing your products or dealing with your services.

A great brand not only offers assurance, it also naturally distinguishes your company or organization from rivals.

Great brands are able to offer a product, service or culture that customers are unable to find anywhere else.

Branding Logos Are Essential

Brand logos have become absolutely essential in today’s society where individuals spend most of their time browsing the web or scrolling through their social media feeds.

We’re living in the age of viral content. Anymore, all it takes is connecting a brand logo with a great piece of content to win over a large majority of customers.

What’s the key to a great branding logo? Don’t undervalue its importance.

Even if you have experience in graphic design, you’ll still most likely want to hire a professional to help you design an outstanding brand logo.

Branding Sends A Message

While your brand name and logo can be just about anything that you’d like, you should keep in mind that you’re going to want these items to speak to your customers.

Your brand name and logo should communicate, on some level, to your customers, offering insight as to what your company will be providing, as well as hinting at the company culture or values.

There are a ton of online resources that help with brand development for small businesses and entrepreneurs, but it’s also important to take a look at real life examples.

Let’s take a look at Apple’s branding.

Apple is exceptional at branding. If you visit Apple, you’ll notice that both the website and store is extremely sleek and simple. This sends a message to customers that Apple is professional and easy to work with.

Customers will naturally connect this message with the products, thinking things such as “Oh wow, this site is very sophisticated - I would love to have a sleek product from a company like this” or “This site is seems easy to navigate… I bet the customer service here is excellent.”

Branding Should Equal Your Business Goal

If you’re unsure of how to create an effective brand for your business, you’ll need to keep in mind that your brand should equal your business goals.

So, for example, if one of your business goals is to offer high-quality service that is far better than your competition, then you’ll probably want to have a branding slogan that speaks to your goal.

Remember, great branding should communicate to your customers. So if you’re unsure of your branding message, get back down to the roots: your business goals.

From there, make adjustments so that your branding and goals align perfectly. Trust me, once you find the perfect branding elements, you’ll be glad you took the time to do a branding revamp.