When a founder starts a business, they often operate on a shoestring budget. In fact, even after getting the funding, they have so much to do to set up their business that they very conveniently skip the part of building their brand identity. Now, I understand that the temptation is to delay branding until there’s more money in the bank. But there’s one thing they forget about: your brand exists whether you shape it intentionally or not. And in early-stage startups, that first impression can mean the difference between trust and indifference. In fact, 86% of consumers say authenticity is a key factor when deciding what brands they like and support.
The problem here is that entrepreneurs forget about this in their pursuit of success, leaving behind brand identity, which itself is an essential requirement of brand success.
Can you see the irony here?
I observed it way before, and that’s why I bring you this blog that sheds light on five low-cost ways to build your brand identity.
Five cost-effective ways to create your brand identity
Develop internal brand guidelines
Initially, concentrate on the visual representation of your brand in the market. Before you let a branding team or a brand strategist touch your brand assets, focus on building internal brand guidelines. This will illustrate how the logo design would be, including the color, font, imagery, brand tone, voice, and messaging, covering all aspects of visual identity and brand personality.
Make sure you have everything well drafted and documented with you, from how the message will be posted on a website to what size and color will be used for the font when you are posting on social media. Even if your team is just three people, you need a playbook. Outline everything, including the do’s and don’ts. A simple document is enough to start. The goal is to keep everyone aligned so your brand looks and sounds the same everywhere. By doing this, you induce consistency, and consistency builds familiarity. Familiarity builds trust. And trust converts.
Craft and promote the founder’s story
When a founder starts a business, there is a particular reason behind it. That reason can never be money. It typically focuses on adding value or offering solutions to a niche industry or a separate community of customers. It is affordable and low cost because it does not include any outside assistance or outsourcing needs. Craft a founder’s story, build a narrative, and then bank on it. Promote it across all platforms, channels, and online handles.
This is one of the best ways to make people emotionally connect with your brand. In the story, talk about the initial struggles, the aim, the vision, the achievements, and the future plans. Add a tiny hint of values and social responsibility. You’ll be amazed how much people like to associate with such brands. In fact, as per the Edelman Trust Barometer, 2023, 72% of consumers feel more connected to a brand when its employees share brand content.
Make good use of the internet and online tools
If you have a good internet connection, trust me, you can do a lot more than what you expect or anticipate. First of all, pay attention to brand strategy for startups. There are so many online platforms that are free and offer integrated and customized solutions to help you work on your brand assets. For example, Canva alone has over 170 million monthly users, many of them startups and creators doing DIY branding. You know what’s the best part? You don’t even have to learn skills or do a course. Cheap branding for startups isn’t about going silent until you have a budget. You must work and show up honestly and consistently.
With basic computer operating skills and knowledge, you can start working on your brand's logo, social media templates, business cards, and presentations, continuing with one consistent visual language. A simple tip would be to stick to 2-3 brand colors and 1-2 fonts to keep things clean. Cheap branding for startups does not have to be amateur; it should look smart and resourceful.
Data, insights, review, and redesign
Again, a very impactful way to make things right and start working on your brand building. The most effective and ground-level technique is to gather data through surveys, interviews, feedback, and just talking to regular people, users, friends, and early adopters. Try to know how they perceive the brand, what they think about it, what their initial impressions are, and so on. Once you have all the raw data collected, use tools to turn it into meaningful information and actionable insights.
According to SurveyMonkey, 57% of consumers say they’re more loyal to brands that listen to them. This directly correlates to the idea that when brands involve themselves in collecting real-world feedback, not just for an activity but to actually understand the impressions and thoughts of their target customers and accordingly make changes and improvements, they have a better and shining future ahead with powerful growth prospects. This real-world feedback is branding gold.
Treat Social Media as a Brand Sandbox
For those who don’t know what a sandbox is, it refers to a testing environment. Let me get you in a little secret, you can make your LinkedIn a personal brand magnet. So, again, one of the cost-effective and affordable ways to promote your brand and test branding operations is to leverage it on social media platforms. Forget paid ads for now. Focus on organic reach. Social platforms let you test your voice, visuals, and message in real time. Experiment with posts, videos, carousels, and reels. See what sticks. Use feedback to refine your brand personality.
Brands that prioritize consistent and organic storytelling grow faster. According to HubSpot, 90% of marketers say social media increases brand awareness, and 66% generate leads from it without any paid ads. Every platform requires a different approach, so keep that in mind. An Instagram brand profile or LinkedIn is not just for basic presence; you need to work on increasing your visibility.
Last thoughts
In this blog, we discussed how even without a budget or funding, you can still work on your brand building and elevate its growth. The five most important low-cost ways to build your brand identity are social media, brand story, customer feedback, online tools, and creating internal brand guidelines. Done well, even the cheapest branding efforts can deliver premium perception. But for this to happen, you must have clarity of thought and consistent effort. You don’t have to spend to stand out, although a branding firm can really help, but if you are convinced you can do it alone. That’s how you move in confidence.
