Small businesses can do marketing better by not falling into an inadvertent trap.
Branding a business to give the impression that you are a more prominent brand could work. A more significant brand impression could also provide an advantage over competitors. Based on the idea that more recognised brands have built better and bigger reputations.
Some drawbacks are that customers can quickly differentiate between more prominent and smaller brands. Big brands are everywhere. They share similar characteristics in brand standards and quality. The reason brands are successful is the investment and knowledge put into branding.
By creating an impression of a bigger brand and adding lots of small businesses doing the same thing. We see similar content and branding because of the budget and resources available.
So, this could lead to saturated or unconvincing branding between the small businesses all trying to do the same thing working to similar budgets. Something that happens a lot, for example, in the hospitality sector. But it is falling into the trap of using resources with no end to a means. It can be harmful and unwise.
Branding is easy to get carried away with what looks appealing or with what is in trend. However, following trends can have adverse effects because other businesses and brands do a similar thing. This heightens the risk of customers becoming confused, especially in using an added value strategy in branding.
This can result in a potential race to the bottom with similar-looking branding and content. At this level, expertise and technology are at risk of getting recycled. However, on the consumer’s side, they can also get less excited or engaged.
The critical point is not to forget that building a brand is from an internal direction. Building a brand by going down the road, cutting corners such as trying to give a significant brand experience on the cheap. It could lead to trouble.
Robert Fogarty 