Fortunately these days, you don't need a huge budget or a skilled web developer to create a visually appealing brand and get an edge.

Emily Kanter, Second-generation co-owner

March 5, 2016

2 Min Read
Authentically elevate your independent retail brand with these 4 steps

Independent retailers face a barrage of competition from online and offline sources. Competitors like Whole Foods and Thrive Market have large marketing budgets and can devote massive resources to enticing your customers through on-brand, visually appealing media content. Fortunately these days, you don't need a huge budget or a skilled web developer to get an edge. Here are four steps that any independent retailer can take to elevate their visual brand and attract new customers into their doors:

Expo West appearance:
Stand Out or Watch Out! How to Be Extraordinary in a Competitive Retail Environment
Thursday, March 10
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Marriott, Grand Ballroom G/H

1. Craft a customized brand style guide. Choose specific fonts and colors, along with examples of the types of images that you want to use over and over again, and keep them consistent in all of your marketing materials. You want customers to instantly recognize you across all media channels. There are plenty of how-to's online that walk you through this process.

2. Choose five words to describe your social media and marketing approach. How do you want to communicate your brand to your customer? Do you want to appear fun, wise, edgy, unique, relevant, and/or safe? Use these words to drive your content. Each post should communicate this message consistently. 

3. Create a mobile responsive website using Squarespace. I can't say enough good things about this drag-and-drop web design and hosting site. It's incredibly easy to use, inexpensive, and requires a bare minimum of design skills to create a beautiful, custom website in, as they say, "minutes."

4. Curate a selection of guest bloggers. Highlight highly popular local practitioners and thought leaders by asking them to write a series of short and entertaining guest blog posts throughout the year. Ask them to share the blog posts with their social media followers and newsletter subscribers--you'll expand your outreach exponentially!

For more ideas on standing out in today's marketplace, join us Thursday at Expo West.

About the Author(s)

Emily Kanter

Second-generation co-owner, Cambridge Naturals

Emily Kanter is the body care manager, marketing director and second generation owner-in-training of Cambridge Naturals, a 40-year-old natural products retail business in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She has early memories of being plopped into a milk crate in the middle of the bustling grocery store and watching daily business unfold. Before returning to Cambridge Naturals in 2014, Emily lived with her husband, Caleb, in Portland, Oregon, where she managed a hunger relief nonprofit and received her MBA in sustainable systems from the prestigious Bainbridge Graduate Institute at Pinchot.

Subscribe and receive the latest updates on trends, data, events and more.
Join 57,000+ members of the natural products community.

You May Also Like