Take ideas and strategies from the big brands
Big brands have a big budget for their marketing campaigns.
The TV and radio ads they produce are something small businesses can only dream of. Although small businesses can’t match the big brands on a budget, they can match them on the strategies and tactics they implement. The budgets won’t be the same, but the principles are. So, in this article, we will look at the strategies, tactics and principles that can be used by small businesses to level up the playing field.
Google is one of the world’s biggest brands, so what could other businesses learn from this? Google’s homepage has one clear focus – the search bar. Google doesn’t overcomplicate its message, functions and focus. Overcomplicating their homepage would put many users off. But as the main focus is the search bar, so many people use this. Small to medium-sized businesses can take this simple approach onboard. There is no need to overcomplicate the message. Doing this would cause confusion and disinterest in the audience. Make your message clear and simple like Me and My Glass. They are a small business operating across the UK and provide – you’ve guessed it – glass. Their message is to the point, and you understand it straight away.
Coca Cola
The name Coca Cola is known across the globe. Not many worldwide brands do this, but Coca Cola features the product’s name in their brand name: cola. Small businesses could create a name that involves the product name in the company name. When people see this, they can quickly understand what that company actually does. This makes it easier to communicate your message.
Amazon
If we are going to talk about big brands, it would be foolish not to talk about Amazon. Ever since they were founded in 1996, they’ve been ambitious in building a great business and brand. So, what can we learn? Many years ago, Jeff Bezos did a talk about the key principles they implemented at Amazon. They were obsessing over customers, inventing, and thinking long term. These are brilliant principles to have at any business, large or small. Without customers paying you, you don’t have a business. Being obsessed is so important. The more you know about the customer, the better decisions you can make to improve the customer experience.
Wikipedia
Wikipedia has an incredible amount of information. We use this website to read up on events, definitions and celebrities. It has a vast amount of useful information. Small businesses can take inspiration from this by creating their own resources. This can showcase the expert knowledge and information known by a business in their sector.
IKEA
The blue and yellow colours used by IKEA are striking and unique. Those colours are associated with IKEA all over the world. No other business can use those same colours together. Many businesses also own colours, such as Coca Cola (red), Cadburys (purple), and Starbucks (green). Choosing the right colour palette is an important task. Using the same colour as your competitors make you all look the same. Which is not ideal. Businesses of all shapes and sizes will need to think of a colour that isn’t used by their competitors. This will make the business stand out and become unique.
Starbucks
Starbucks provides quality and convenience, and it’s no coincidence it does this. Starbucks outlets are placed to make it easier for coffee lovers to get their caffeine intake. And when they get their caffeine boost, it’s a quality taste. Providing convenience and quality at a competitive price is what businesses should be aiming for. When consumers want your product or service, it is better to be easily accessible. If not, it will be unlikely that they are going to purchase from you.
Small to medium sized business owners shouldn’t be intimidated by big brands. They spend millions upon millions of pounds investing in their business and marketing. Business owners can take advantage of this by learning what they are doing and provide that strategy to their audience. All without paying a fortune.
