Branding is not an expensive television, direct mail or print campaign...those are advertising mediums used to communicate the brand message. You don't have to use these mediums to start branding your company. As you gain momentum and your company grows...so will your budget and need to continue growing your brand. At that point these mediums may be necessary. For start-ups, entrepreneurs and small business not necessary. Ok, so I'm a small business and want to start branding myself. I have a very limited budget and need to maximize every dollar to establish a local market presence. What do I do?

There are some things you can do to communicate your brand without incurring exorbitant fees. E-mail campaigns, business cards, letterhead, signage, and other existing corporate identity. All need consistent usage of your company name, logo and tag line information. Web sites like myjobengine will place your company name, logo and tag line in front of tens of thousands of potential candidates. It's an effective and inexpensive internet marketing tool designed to drive passive candidates to you. Look at it as a billboard on a very busy interstate.

Another inexpensive yet effective method of branding is through internal communication. By communicating your core traits, values and mission internally with you own associates...It becomes a very powerful "grass-roots" marketing method to help you attract, retain and even repel employees. It builds a culture; employment branding and culture go hand in hand. Again, branding isn't just for large companies and is the key to the early and long-term success of any business. It is the quickest way for the company to express who it is and what it does. The drawing power of an employment brand grows by non-intrusive repetition, and that takes time.