Branding on a budget: 5 tips for startups

[jrineakter]

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Recently I was going to go for a bike ride with a friend. On the way I wanted to have enough to drink, so I filled my spa bottle with tap water. So far nothing special, you would think. But the guy looked at me as if I had gone completely crazy. It turned out that he thought it was a waste that I mixed my branded water with tap water. “As if that makes any difference to the quality,” I said.


That is the power of branding. It will not be due to the tap water: Dutch tap water is the best in Europe. You do not buy that bottle of water in the store for the quality of the water, but for that beautiful label on it. So you see: with beautiful packaging and good marketing you can go a long way. Even if you are actually selling an average product.

This shows how important branding is. But if you really want to do it right, it can take a lot of time and money. Especially for startups, this can be quite a challenge. Therefore, five tips to get the most out of your branding with limited resources!

1. First take a good look at your product or service
Branding is great. But let's face it, without argentina telegram number list a good product or service you're not going anywhere. So make sure you spend enough time on that before you start working on logos, pay-offs and the overall marketing strategy.

It’s great when you get companies to try out your product or service, but if it doesn’t live up to expectations, chances are you’ll lose them for a while (or even forever). So make sure your product is rock solid. Then you can put it on the map. Especially as a startup, you’ll need to gain the trust of your target audience.

2. Ensure a clear identity


Your product or service has been tested extensively and it appears to work well. Great of course, but just between us... What do people actually need it for?

If your company solves a particular problem or fulfills an unconscious need, you need to be very clear about it. Don't make it more complicated than it is, that will only scare you off. Can you summarize it in one sentence? Then do so. Take the time to develop a good pay-off.

By communicating a clear identity as a company, you ensure that things stay on track internally. That way, everyone knows what kind of product or service they are working on and what the use of it is. And even more important with branding: it also works well externally. If your target group understands what you provide, they can talk about it with others. Social media works like word-of-mouth advertising. The same goes for the press, they also pick up your product or service more easily if you have a clear identity. That is all free exposure.

3. Good content creates brand awareness
Almost everyone is online these days. It makes sense to also create brand awareness there. By distributing beautiful content, you leave your mark online. This way, you become discoverable for potential interested parties and you gain legitimacy.

A company blog is a start. It won’t attract an endless horde of new customers to your website, but it is a good way to share information in an accessible way. If you post good articles often, readers will naturally return and new readers will join. This is how you build a community of loyal followers. It can be very valuable to interact with it regularly. Not only to spread your own news, but also to gather external input. Take advantage of that!