Branding Basics for Your Local Business

Branding Basics for Your Local Business: What is a brand? Do you need a logo? Can you use Canva?

Let’s talk branding — a word that gets thrown around a lot, often with expensive price tags and confusing advice.

But here’s the truth: your small business already has a brand — even if you haven’t “built” one yet.

Your brand is how people experience your business. It’s the feeling someone gets when they walk through your doors, scroll your feed, get a DM from you, or open your email. It’s the impression you leave behind — and the reason people remember you (or don’t).

And nope, it’s not just about having a fancy logo.

So… what is a brand?

Think of your brand like your business’s personality. It’s made up of:

• Your tone of voice (Are you funny, warm, professional, casual?)

• Your visual style (Colors, fonts, logo, photography style)

• Your values (What matters to you? What do you stand for?)

• The experience customers have with you (How do they feel when they interact with you?)

It’s not something you slap together for your Instagram bio.
It’s something people feel when they interact with you over time.

Do you need a logo?

Yes... but not the most expensive one in town.

Your logo is one part of your brand — like a handshake. It helps people recognize you and feel a sense of consistency. But here’s the good news:

• If you’re just starting out: A clean, simple logo made in Canva is 100% okay.

• If you’ve been growing and want to level up: A professionally designed logo can be worth the investment — especially if it comes with brand guidelines (colors, fonts, etc.) to keep your look consistent.

But don’t get stuck in logo land. A fancy design won’t fix a confusing message or inconsistent customer experience.

Can you use Canva?

Absolutely. We love Canva around here.

Canva is a fantastic tool for small businesses — especially when used with a few branding basics in mind. Here’s how to keep it looking pro:

• Pick 2-3 brand colors and stick to them

• Choose 1-2 fonts and use them consistently

• Use your logo (or business name) on your graphics

• Create templates so all your posts/stories look cohesive

Your goal isn’t to look like a big chain — it’s to look like you every time you show up.

Real talk: consistency beats perfection.

Your brand doesn’t need to win awards. It just needs to be recognizable and reliable.

If someone saw your Instagram post, then walked past your sandwich board, then visited your website — would it all feel like the same business? That’s the magic of branding.

Quick branding wins you can do this week:

• Choose your brand colors and stick to them

• Update your social bios with a consistent tone and message

• Create a simple logo in Canva if you don’t have one yet

• Make a few Canva templates you can reuse

• Think about how you want your business to feel and try to reflect that in your content

Coming Up Next:

In our next post, we’ll help you figure out who you’re talking to. Because the better you understand your ideal customer, the easier it is to create content that connects — and converts.

You don’t need a perfect brand to get started.
You just need to start showing up in a way that feels true to your business.

We’re here to help you keep it simple, consistent, and local.

Why Small Businesses Should Let Around Chilliwack Create Their Reels

Why Small Businesses Should Let Around Chilliwack Create Their Reels

Let’s talk about reels. Yep—those short, snappy, scroll-stopping videos that either make you laugh, teach you something cool, or tempt you to buy that locally made candle you didn’t know you needed. If you’re a small business in Chilliwack and you're not using reels yet—or you're trying but they feel more "meh" than "wow"—this one’s for you.

Here’s the thing: social media has become the modern-day Main Street. It’s where people hang out, find things to do, and discover their next favourite place to eat, shop, or get their drains unclogged (we see you, Pettie’s Plumbing). And if you're not showing up there in a way that's actually engaging, you might as well be whispering your big news into a canyon.

That’s where Around Chilliwack comes in.

We know Chilliwack. We live here, we love it here, and we’ve built a following of locals who genuinely care about what’s going on in their community. And guess what? They want to support small businesses like yours—they just need a reason to stop scrolling and start watching.

Here’s why our reels hit different:

1. We tell your story the way Chilliwack wants to hear it.
You're not a faceless chain store. You’re someone who’s poured your heart (and probably a good chunk of your savings) into something real. We show that. Whether it's the steam rising off your fresh-baked cinnamon buns or the pride in your voice when you talk about your handmade goods, we capture the human side of your business.

2. We know what the algorithm loves—without being cringe.
Trends are great, but authenticity wins. We create content that blends what’s popular with what’s personal, so it gets seen and feels real. That means more eyes, more clicks, and more customers who actually show up at your door.

3. We already have the audience.
When we post a reel about your business, we’re not just throwing it into the void. We’re putting it in front of thousands of engaged Chilliwack locals who already trust us to show them what’s good. That’s a shortcut to credibility—and your next loyal customer.

4. We make it easy.
You’re already juggling staff, inventory, taxes, and probably a rogue pigeon that keeps nesting above your storefront sign. Let us take the content creation stress off your plate. We handle the filming, editing, music, captions—the whole thing. You just show up, do what you do best, and let us make it shine.

5. We’re small business people too.
We get it. Budgets are tight and time is tighter. That’s why we offer flexible packages that won’t break the bank, with the kind of return on attention that can actually move the needle.
Check out what we have to offer; we recommend regular content creation to keep your message consistent and fresh: https://www.aroundchilliwack.ca/store

Real Talk:
You don’t need to go viral. You just need to show up, consistently and creatively, where your customers already are. And you need to do it in a way that reflects you. That’s our sweet spot.

Check out our reels on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aroundchilliwack

So if you’ve been thinking, “We should probably do more on social media…” or “How do I even make a reel that doesn’t suck?”—you don’t have to do it alone.

Let’s team up, tell your story, and get your business in front of the people who matter most: your neighbours. We’re all about helping you Get Noticed!

Shoot us a message. Let’s make something reel good together.
Better yet, order your first reel creation here:
https://www.aroundchilliwack.ca/store/reel-creation

Not only will you get a great reel created; you’ll also get featured on our channels!

The Local Advantage: Why Chilliwack Businesses Have a Marketing Edge

If you’re a small business in Chilliwack, you’re not just competing with the big guys — you’ve actually got a massive advantage they can’t buy: local love.

Why local businesses win

In Chilliwack (and the Fraser Valley in general), we care about:

• Who owns the shop

• Who we’re supporting

• How something’s made

• Whether it’s local

People want to support small — but they can’t support you if they don’t know you exist.
That’s where local marketing comes in.

Your edge = connection

Big box stores can’t:

• Show their face on Instagram with their morning coffee

• Remember a regular’s name

• Share a behind-the-scenes of how your products are made

• Snap a pic of your kid helping you pack up orders

But you can. That’s your superpower.

3 Things You Can Start Doing Right Now:

1. Use your face and voice on social media
   People don’t follow logos. They follow people.

2. Tag your location and local hashtags
   Let people know you’re in Chilliwack. Use tags like #chilliwackbusiness #shoplocalchilliwack, and of course, #AroundChilliwack

3. Talk like a human, not a brand
   Keep it real. Your followers aren’t corporate — they’re your neighbours.

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You’ve got the local love. Let’s help people find you and cheer you on.
In the next post, we’ll cover how to make sure your business has a brand that people can recognize and connect with — no graphic design degree required.

📣 NEW BLOG SERIES: Marketing Your Chilliwack Biz

You started your business to do what you love — maybe baking, building, painting, planning, serving, or selling something awesome. But now you’re finding out that running a business also means... marketing. Social media. Emails. Photos. Hashtags. Algorithms. Buzzwords.

Feeling overwhelmed yet? You’re not alone.

This new blog series is here to break it down for you — in plain English, with local flair. No jargon. No pressure to “go viral.” Just helpful tips that make sense for real Chilliwack businesses.

Whether you're a home-based maker, a downtown shop owner, a tradesperson, or running a side hustle, these posts are here to help you:

• get seen,

• connect with your people,

• and grow in a way that feels like you.

Start Here: What is Marketing (Really)?

Let’s be honest: most small business owners didn’t get into this to become marketers.

You’re juggling orders, emails, invoices, inventory, kids, chores, and the actual work your business does. Then someone tells you, “You really need to be on Instagram more.” Or “Have you tried email marketing?” Or “You should totally go viral on TikTok.”

Cue the eye roll.

Here’s a breath of fresh air: marketing doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
And it doesn’t have to feel fake, forced, or expensive.

So, what even is marketing?

In simple terms, marketing is everything you do to help people…

1. Know you exist

2. Understand what you offer

3. Trust you enough to buy from you

It’s not just ads or salesy pitches. It’s the everyday stuff that helps people get to know you and your business.

If you’ve ever...

• Posted a behind-the-scenes photo of your setup

• Answered questions in your DMs

• Offered a little free advice to someone curious about what you do

• Put out a sandwich board on the sidewalk

• Shared your story on your website or social media

• Asked a happy customer to leave a review

...guess what? You’re already marketing. 🎉

Good marketing is just good communication.

It’s about showing up and connecting — not being perfect, not having a huge following, not spending thousands on ads. Just helping people understand who you are, what you do, and why it matters.

People buy from businesses they:

• Know

• Like

• Trust

So your job as a marketer (yes, you're one now!) is to help that happen. And the best part? You can do it in a way that fits you.

What marketing isn’t:

• It’s not having a perfect aesthetic grid.

• It’s not being on every platform.

• It’s not faking a big personality you don’t have.

• It’s not pushing things on people who don’t need them.

Let’s throw all that out the window.

So, where do you begin?

Start small. Choose one way to show up this week:

• Share a photo and tell a short story behind it.

• Introduce yourself on your feed or in a Reel.

• Show the process of something you’re working on.

• Ask your audience a question to get them talking.

You don’t need a giant strategy yet. You just need to start.

Coming up next:

In our next post, we’ll talk about something you do have — and the big businesses can’t buy: your local edge. Learn how being a small business in Chilliwack gives you an automatic marketing advantage (and how to use it to your benefit!).

You’ve got this. We’re cheering you on — and we’re right here with you.