8 Inspiring Examples of Small Business Branding
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8 Inspiring Examples of Small Business Branding

Reading Time: 8 minutes(Last Updated On: October 14, 2021)

Success or failure: it can depend on your ability to come up with branding ideas for small business.

 

Something as simple as choosing the right color for your small business branding can increase recognition by up to 80%!

 

It takes enough time and effort to keep the business running – who has room to create branding strategies?

 

Don’t be discouraged! Before you throw in the towel so quickly, have a look over these 8 examples of small business branding that will shed light on how to create a brand identity.

 

Top Tip: Choose the right color for your small business branding and increase your recognition by up to 80%! Click To Tweet

 

If you’re concerned about the costs involved in small business branding, consider covering those expenses by taking business loans.

 

While applying for financing through banks usually ends in disappointment, you’ll find better approval odds through online business lending marketplaces like Become.

 

1. Monday.com

Dapulse rebrand Monday

Image via UnderConsideration.com

 

In 2014, Roy Mann and Eran Zinman founded a project management tool known as Dapulse, designed to help teams streamline their work. In an interview with Business Insider, Mann said they had chosen the name Dapulse to speak “to the essence of [their] tool, a platform to help you keep your finger on the pulse of your team”.

 

Three years later, the variety of organizations that were using their platform had grown to include everything from breweries to churches. They decided it was high-time to rebrand. The name Monday.com was chosen because it’s easier to remember, and represents a more general notion of “all that is good, all that is hard, and all that is real about work.”

 

The logo they came up with for Monday.com not only has bright colors that are sure to catch your eye, but it also has a recognizable bubbly M-shape that fits neatly in your browser tab (a small detail that’s super helpful when you’re working quickly and bouncing from one tab to the next – take it from us!). 

 

Top takeaway: Simplicity goes a long way. Sometimes the line between being unique and being too abstract can get blurry. Be careful not to try so hard to stand out that people can’t make heads or tails of what your brand represents.

 

2. Promo.com

Promo Logo

Image via G2

 

Originally known as Slidely, this content creation service gives its users the ability to promote themselves with high-quality creative imagery – without breaking the bank. They had been using the name Promo by Slidely for their video creation platform, and after seeing immense success, they decided to switch over to Promo.com as their official name. Besides the confusion of having two names, why’d they make the change?

 

In an interview with PRNewswire their CEO and Founder, Tom More, said, “As our vision and plans evolved and crystallized, we naturally became even more aligned with the goals of the businesses we serve. They’re not here to edit a video, they are here to promote something.” The name “Promo” certainly conveys the right message, and their logo is also on-point as it resembles a ‘play’ button with attractive warm colors.

 

Top takeaway: Let your brand show what you do. Promo.com is a video creation platform, so it makes sense that their logo is a ‘play’ button. No need to think too hard!

 

3. CHOP

Image via CHOP Tree Services

 

Here’s another example of a small business that knew how to create a brand identity that would cut deep. CHOP is a tree service company made up of certified arborists who do everything from minor residential landscaping to bigger projects such as hazardous tree removals and urban forest management. They had previously been using the same name for their tree company as they had been using for their landscape company and seeked assistance in creating a marketable brand that would help them leave the competition behind.

 

With a short and to-the-point name like CHOP, it pops out from the generic names like Bob’s Lawn Service or Main Street Tree Experts. Not to mention the fun way they sneak a log into the ‘O’ in their logo – it even made us take a closer look!

 

Top takeaway: Leave a mark. CHOP is a perfect example of a small business branding that’s short, sweet, and memorable. They demonstrate a simple and creative way to stick out from the crowd.

 

4. Kindbody

Image via FinSMEs

 

Self-described as “a community of healthcare providers, fertility specialists, and women who get it”, Kindbody provides health and fertility services with the aim “to democratize and de-stigmatize women’s health and fertility care”. Kindbody wanted to base its brand on three main concepts: simplicity, humanity, and a female aesthetic.

 

With that, they designed a brand that speaks to their mission of making their services “accessible, intuitive, and empowering”. Their logo, written in a lowercase typewriter-style font, resonates with the concept of simplicity that they wanted to incorporate. The pastel colors they use are warm, soft, and inviting – something that goes against the grain in an industry where the competition often comes off as cold.

 

Lastly, the parentheses that they use in the ‘O’ of their name can be used in many different contexts, giving them a useful tool to spread their brand even further.

 

Top takeaway: Appeal to emotion. Making the customer or client feel comfortable is a huge advantage. If your brand is able to connect with the right vibe that people are looking for, they’ll be much more likely to remember you and refer more potential customers to your business.

 

5. Simply Wine

Image via Simply Wine

 

A retail wine store and wine delivery service, Simply Wine promises “a wine-buying experience unlike any other”. To align with that goal, they strived to create a small business branding strategy that would convey comfort and convenience to their customer base. Everything about their brand says ‘fun’ and ‘easy’.

 

The simplistic illustrations they use on their packaging are brought to life with vibrant colors and playful sayings like “you had me at Merlot”. There are plenty of wine services that pride themselves on having a high-class touch, and while those work well with older customers, they alienate lots of younger customers who are seeking a more affordable product with a more upbeat and lively energy – without sacrificing quality. That’s where Simply Wine fits in!

 

Top takeaway: Show your personality. Your business branding ideas should flaunt what makes you unique. It’s important to see what works for other businesses in your industry, but it’s more important to find the points that make you different and reinforce them through your brand! 

 

6. Cuebiq

Image via Cuebiq

 

This leading location intelligence and measurement company uses loads of data to produce insights that businesses can use to understand the offline consumer journey. Sound a little technical?

Cuebiq thought of how to create a brand identity that would take the edge off of the high-techiness that characterizes its services. It did so by introducing a humanistic touch to the digital space that it inhabits with a logotype that is bubbly and has no hard corners (which ironically contrasts with the shape that its name conveys).

 

Even the logo itself, which looks like a cube with one open side, has softened corners. That serves to further their message of positivity and personability.

 

Top takeaway: Step outside the box. The high-tech sector is chock-full of business branding ideas that are focused on portraying a message of being advanced and cutting-edge. Cuebiq looked for different examples of small business branding that would allow them to introduce a fresh new take on what a technology company’s brand should look like. Don’t be afraid to break the mold! 

 

7. Whole Smile Labs

Image via Whole Smile Labs

 

Branding ideas for small businesses come in many forms – one of the best examples of small business branding can be found in Whole Smile Labs. They mix technology, attention to detail, and a fair bit of fun in order to make the best appliances for dental practice offices.

 

The name Whole Smile Labs isn’t just catchy, it also creates a visual for customers of a place where professionals in white coats work diligently to manufacture shining smiles (although they’re really manufacturing dental equipment). That visualization aligns nicely with the shape of the logo, which resembles (you guessed it) a bright white smile.

 

Thanks to Whole Smile Labs’ name and logo, their customers have a clear idea of what to expect from the very start (and won’t likely forget about them anytime soon!).

 

Top takeaway: Bring some fun into the mix. Let’s face it, dental practices might not have the best reputation as far as fun goes. White Smile Labs didn’t let that stop them from finding a creative and playful small business branding strategy, without sacrificing their professionalism.

 

8. Yello Dumpster

Image via DEKSIA

 

Branding strategies for small businesses don’t need to be ambiguous – take it from Yello Dumpster. It doesn’t get much more direct than that, folks. The name tells you everything you need to know in such a way that makes it memorable, and may even keep you on the lookout for them! While the name may seem a bit generic, it’ll be ringing in people’s ears anytime they actually see a yellow dumpster.

 

While going through branding ideas for small businesses, Yello Dumpster wanted theirs to focus on a message of simplicity. They knew that customers wouldn’t want to waste their time trying to find out which service is going to be best for them. That emphasis on simple solutions goes beyond their name – their no-nonsense website design, which is yellow (surprise!), presents everything that customers need in a concise and coherent manner.

 

Top takeaway: Don’t overthink it. Regardless of what industry you’re in, simple small business branding strategies can tell customers that you’re professional and simultaneously down-to-earth. Stay personable so that customers feel comfortable approaching you!

 

Wrapping it up

 

To summarize the different business branding ideas discussed above:

 

  1. Simplicity goes a long way
  2. Let your brand show what you do
  3. Leave a mark
  4. Appeal to emotion
  5. Show your personality
  6. Step outside the box
  7. Bring some fun into the mix
  8. Don’t overthink it

 

Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to choosing your small business branding strategy. If you’re not certain that you can come up with a successful branding strategy on your own, there’s no shortage of business branding agencies out there that can provide assistance.

 

While the expenses involved in hiring an agency might be pricey, don’t forget that there are business financing solutions available through Become which can help cover those costs.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is provided for informational purposes only, should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter and should not be relied upon as such. The author accepts no responsibility for any consequences whatsoever arising from the use of such information.