Marketing Tips for Small Business: Audience and Brand Identity – Part 1

Laura Galvin - NOV 01, 2018
Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home/howlermag/public_html/old/wp-content/themes/new-paper/includes/general.php on line 193

Your Lead Paragrpah goes here

Costa Rica Marketing Tips for Small Business: Audience & Brand Identity from Nomad Design House and Laura Galvin : Costa Rica is no longer just a retiree destination. People of all ages are moving here to start small businesses, and in this developing nation with mounting popularity for expats and tourists from around the world, the entrepreneurial opportunities are ripe; but the competition is growing. While many have dreams of running their own business, not all have prior business experience or knowledge to execute successfully. In this three-part series, we’re giving current and future business owners pro tips for small business success in Costa Rica, starting with defining your audience and developing your brand identity.

Defining your target audience is essential before you make decisions about your business’ branding and marketing strategies. A target audience is the demographic of people most likely to be interested in your product or service.

Costa Rica is unique in that there are different markets for locals, expats, and tourists, yet they can and often will overlap. Your audience can also be defined by its demographics, location, interests, values, and opinions. It may change or become more refined over time after you have observed who your customers are, and this will help you to connect better with that group in the future.

Knowing your audience so intimately is important so that you can communicate and appeal to your customers in the most effective ways with your branding and marketing.

A brand is more than just a logo; it’s your business’ personality and identity.

It is your opportunity to make an impactful first impression and emotional connection with potential customers. In mere seconds, people make subconscious decisions about what your business represents, how trustworthy or professional it is, and the quality of your products or services – all based on your branding.

When considering your brand identity, put some thought into the values you want your brand to represent, and make a list of adjectives.

Your list might include descriptive words such as “luxury,” “natural” or “eco-friendly,” for example. It’s important to define this so you have guidance for your design, styling choices, and even the tone of voice you use in marketing. You could also pick a theme (for example: an era, a place, or a sport) to carry throughout your branding if that helps form a connection with your audience and represents your brand values. A good way to organize these ideas is to create a mood board. (Pinterest is a great tool for this!)

Next will be designing your logo, and all the visual elements of your brand in the style that you have defined.

The standards are being raised now that more small businesses are opening in Costa Rica, and having a professional appearance is a must to stay competitive.

Your logo should visually communicate your brand’s values in an instant. The rest of your visual identity (in signage, ads, decor, print material, website and social media channels) should support that message.

Creating a cohesive brand identity across all channels is important in building brand recognition. If you don’t have a design background, it’s best to seek out a professional designer with branding experience to help you at this stage, or even earlier. It’s important that your visuals communicate effectively and are high-quality and cohesive.

Every interaction consumers have with your brand should be reiterating what your brand stands for and what you want them to remember about you, in order to build a strong relationship between your customers and your products or services. The importance of brand identity will be explained further in the following article next month when we discuss marketing and promotions.

5 to 7 brand impressions are needed before someone will remember your brand.

The average revenue increase attributed to always presenting the brand consistently is 23 percent.

64 percent of consumers cite shared values as the primary reason they have a relationship with a brand.

Marketing Pro Tips part 2
Marketing Pro Tips part 3

For more business and marketing consultation contact:
Laura Galvin
Nomad Design House
Tamarindo Costa Rica
Costa Rica: (506) 6282-6635
or Email: info@nomaddesignhouse.com

Be sure to tell Laura you found Nomad Design House via HOWLER