http://startupsuccess.co.uk Branding is often something that new businesses try to tack on once they are up and running, using it as a face for their customers. However a brand should be a far more fundamental element of your business if it’s going to be successful. An effective brand forms the identity of your company, and is built on the core values of the business. It will provoke an emotional response from your customers, and will help your business to form long lasting customer relationships. A brand is far more than a company name, logo, or tagline, although these are important elements. Your brand encompasses the voice you use to communicate, the way you interact with your customers, the design of your products and services, the style of advertising you choose, and a whole host of other elements that make up the identity of your business.

1. Startup
Success
How a small business
can build their brand
A brand should be a
fundamental element of your
business
An effective brand forms the identity of your company, and is built on the core
values of the business. It will provoke an emotional response from your
customers, and will help your business to form long lasting customer
relationships.

2. A Company
Brand
1
Fundamental
Start with one in mind
Branding is often something that new businesses try to tack on once they are up and running, using it as a
face for their customers. An effective brand forms the identity of your company, and is built on the core
values of the business. It will provoke an emotional response from your customers, and will help your
business to form long lasting customer relationships.
2
A brand is far more than a company name, logo, or tagline, although these are important elements. Your
brand encompasses the voice you use to communicate, the way you interact with your customers, the
More than a company name
design of your products and services, the style of advertising you choose, and a whole host of other
elements that make up the identity of your business.
Your voice
3
First step
Set of in positive direction
Determining your brand is one of the first steps to take when setting up a new business, and will help you
to drive the business forward in a positive, well-defined direction. When you’re exploring your brand it
helps to think of your business as a person. Their individual characteristics work together to form the
brand.

3. Defining Your Brand
What do
they look
like?
What do
they sound
like?
What do
they do for
a living?
What need
do they fulfil
in others?
What are
their beliefs
and values?
What
makes them
different?
Who are
their friends?
Where do
they come
from?
Ask yourself the questions opposite
about your business persona:
The answers to all of these questions will help
you to build up a picture of your business
persona that can be used to define your brand.
There are certain characteristics that work
together to create an effective brand.

4. A Successful Brand is Consistent
Consistency is vital for successful branding, and your brand needs to
be at the centre of everything your business does. If you start to lose
sight of your brand, it will become diluted and will have less impact
with your customers. You don’t need to continually repeat the same
message to your customers; the message can change as long as the
values behind it stay the same.

5. A Successful Brand is
Authentic
An authentic brand will resonate with customers, whereas they will easily be able to see through a glossy façade.
Be honest about what your business is and what it stands for, otherwise you will find it hard to keep up the pretence
of trying to be something you’re not. If you’re a small business don’t be tempted to mimic the branding of an
international corporation but embrace the benefits of being a personal or local company. The core values that make
up your brand should be something you’re truly passionate about.

6. Daring to be different is a feature of many successful brands. While it’s certainly a safe option to see what
your competitors are doing and stick with that, you’ll never really stand out unless your brand is completely
unique. As a new business you have the opportunity to address gaps in the market that nobody else is filling,
so don’t be afraid to innovate.
A
Successful
Brand is
Unique

7. A Successful Brand is
Memorable
Nothing is more effective than word of mouth marketing, so one of the
purposes of your brand is to inspire people to talk about you and recount their
experiences with your business.
Evoke and emotional response
A number of elements that
make your brand unique
Take the time to work out what these are
and brief your graphic designer
accordingly

8. THANK YOU …
NOW
GET
FREE
GUIDE
YOUR
WWW.STARTUPSUCCESS.CO.UK