Small Business Branding

Lockdown has forced virtually everyone ‘online’ for networking. Which probably means that printers have got a little uncomfortable knowing that one income stream has gone by-the-by for the last 12 months. Business cards.

There are those small business owners that will throw them out like they own a business card machine gun at every networking event. Many will sit at the bottom of bags, or in back pockets never to be seen again. But what about doing something fun, memorable and really makes a mark?

Well here are 17 business cards for small business owners that certainly will do that for your potential customers and networking events as the year goes on…

Fake reviews for goods sold on Amazon’s Marketplace are being touted “in bulk” for as little as £5 each, according to a consumer group. ‘Which?’ found 10 sites openly offering review manipulation services to third-party sellers on the retail giant’s online platform, which could be costing your small business thousands of pounds.

LinkedIn is pretty much essential if you run a small business. Love it or hate it, the social network for professionals is a vital part of your business networking toolkit. There are over 660 million active users on the platform, of whom around 61 million are senior level influencers.

But, as the saying goes, you only get out what you put in. So how do you manage LinkedIn like a pro? Here are 5 Dos and 5 Don’ts to help you get the best out of networking on LinkedIn:

First and foremost, never, ever underestimate the importance of your visual presence. It is really important to create a strong visual identity although it is a small part of your overall business, as your visual and personal brand is the first touchpoint with your customers and clients.

As we come out of lockdown, the startup industry will thrive as the budding entrepreneurs have access to all kinds of nifty software and resources to convert their ideas into robust businesses. However, this also means that there is a lot of competition too, which is why branding has become more important than ever.

Make no mistake about it: a recognisable and loved brand is one of the most valuable assets a company owns.

Well, actually every company has a trademark the question is do you need to protect your trademark by registering.

Always ask your customers to leave a recommendation or review after they have purchased from you, whether it’s on social media or Google Reviews.

A brand is so much more than a logo or its visual elements, and building a strong one is often equal to, if not more important, than the product or service itself.