Enterprise Nation

The best preparation for starting a business is a business plan. Sinclair Ashman of Reverse Design suggests the item of ‘brand positioning’ should be covered in the plan and be allocated resource in the form of research, thought, money and effort. He offers an approach to finding and presenting a unique position for your company.

1) See what works

Think about company brands, both small and large. Does the look and feel of the website match the experience of going into the store or speaking to staff on the telephone? Remember that people make decisions about levels of trust and quality based on all the ways in which they come into contact with a brand.

2) Research

If there are companies out there already offering what you’re planning to offer, how do they present and describe their services? Are they aiming for the same target audience?

3) Get professional help

This doesn’t have to mean ‘very expensive’ – there are many small, local design or marketing companies out there that can help you create an effective and unique brand. Choose one with care, by doing your homework on how they’ve worked with other companies. A good one will be able to help you establish your unique selling points (USPs) and sell them to the world. Don’t be tempted to ‘bash something out yourself’, unless you’re a trained designer. You want something that looks professional and will help separate your business from the competition.

Good positioning and marketing really can support and enhance your business and help you to gain and retain more clients.

• Sinclair Ashman, Reverse Design