Start Up Branding and Marketing

Start Up Branding & Marketing

Michelle Cardenas writes this week about branding and marketing for start-ups. Read on…

You are ready to launch your new business. An incredible amount of time and effort has most likely gone into creating a business plan, securing funding, preparing a location and hiring staff. Did you think to include a branding and advertising strategy as part of the company’s start-up budget? If not you probably need to break out the calculator and re-budget if you really want to succeed. 

Remember, you want to inform the public that a great event is about to take place. A clever strategy will generate interest. The public will be waiting expectantly for your doors to open. By the time you open for business, there is a curious public with the potential for becoming loyal customers ready and waiting.

How Much

That is probably the most frequently asked question about advertising. Every business knows they need to invest in branding, marketing and advertising. However, the price tag for investment usually leaves business owners scratching their heads. There are different methods to derive at a number. However, with a new business, some of the factors to plug in to formulas are lacking. For a start-up, it may serve a business well to trust the advice of experts at Iowa State University. They suggest committing about 20-30% of your annual budget to advertising and marketing for the first two years. 

Branding Effectively

To brand effectively, use a strategy that contains these three key elements:

• Storytelling that uses language delivery in the manner a human brain prefers for processing.
• Philanthropic purpose is indicated as strongly desired by consumers in the latest data. Take a stand for a good cause.
• Separate from the pack. This means defining what sets your business apart from the competition. It establishes why a consumer should prefer to do business with you above all others.

The Value Of Experts

Effective marketing and advertising is critical to success for a start-up. Don’t under-estimate the value of investing this mission to experts. Please contact us and let us expand your own good ideas into even greater ones.