Investeren in branding als start-up: daarom loont het de moeite

24.06.2024 · Insights · 4 min. read

Mathieu Verstraete, Founder & Creative Director; Barbara Bataillie, Managing & Strategic Director

Are you making plans to start a company or have you perhaps already taken the first steps? Then your focus may be on finding the right customer and tailoring your product or service to that ideal customer. During this important research phase you gain new insights and your start-up takes shape, but it is also a phase in which the market itself begins to form its own image of your brand.

In order to keep a firm grip on the reins of your brand, it's best not to delay a strategically substantiated branding. Hear us out on why it is worthwhile to immediately invest in the branding of your start-up, and how this can be done in a feasible way.

Why your start-up needs more than a logo and website

For the development of your branding, it's better to think in the long term. It's a common scenario that the need for a professional branding occurs barely a year after the creation of a logo and basic website. And it would be a shame to spend hundreds or even thousands of euros on tools you won't even use anymore.

Considering the definition of branding as what is said about your brand in your abscence, you know that branding is about more than a logo. Even as a start-up, your brand deserves the necessary attention to ensure that you are well understood and leave the desired impression on your target group.

1. Brand strategy helps with decision making and focus

Or to put it more concretely: find your competitive advantage and build your offer around it. As a starting company, it is tempting to say yes to everything, even if it does not fully fit your expertise or your strategy. If your brand strategy is clearly defined and written out, you make smarter choices and automatically focus more on what you want to achieve.

2. A brand story supports your sales pitch

Nothing is more difficult than describing what you actually do. By developing your brand story, you create a solid basis to introduce your start-up, and you may tell your story in the same way every time. This leads to consistent communication that will stick with anyone that should be familiar with your brand.

By giving your brand a voice, a personality and a professional look and feel, you distinguish your start-up from similar, small companies that pay little attention to branding.
BARBARA BATAILLIE, STRATEGIC DIRECTOR

3. Gain an advantage over small competitors and challenge the big ones

By giving your brand a voice, a personality and a professional look and feel, you distinguish your start-up from similar, small companies that pay little attention to branding. You also challenge the established values in your market: the refreshing approach of a new challenger can inspire potential customers.

EDERGEN GUIDELINES poster — Met een brand book ben je zeker dat jouw merk op elk moment op dezelfde manier naar buiten wordt gebracht.

4. A professional branding leads to efficiency

On a practical note: running a start-up means you'll have plenty on your hands. Developing every communication tool from scratch is inefficient and detrimental to your recognisability. When your branding is defined in a clear corporate identity guide, you'll not only save a lot of time but can also ensure your brand is consistently represented in the same way.

5. A strong brand attracts the right talent

A study by Edelman Trust shows that 60% of applicants choose to work for a company with the same vision and core values. A start-up that occupies a clear position and profiles itself has a better chance of attracting the right talent.

6. Branding substantiates growth

Fluffy but true:

Branding creates connections with like-minded people, which leads to the creation of a community that will form a loyal customer base.
Companies with a professional, coherent appearance are perceived as more credible than those that do not, which can also have a positive effect on your pricing.
A strong brand makes it easier to enter new markets or launch new products.

How to invest in branding as a start-up

Professional branding requires expertise, time and therefore resources that you may not yet have available as a start-up. There are several ways to make your investment in your branding feasible:

Include your branding and the development of communication tools such as a website or webshop as an investment in the business plan you submit to the bank. This way you spread the investment.
MOQO is a recognised service provider for the SME portfolio: as an SME you can receive up to 30% subsidy for the development of your brand strategy and strategic marketing plan.
Under certain conditions you can use the Vlaio start-up loan to finance your branding, among other things.

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