How Brand Strategy Sparks Growth for Minority Businesses
Candice Jackson Long
I help Founders scale from $10K → $70K/ month by signing qualified clients consistently, without relying on referrals | Marketing Strategist Behind $70M in Sales | Speaker
Minority-owned businesses are engines of innovation, job creation, and community empowerment. However, many remain small, struggling to find a clear growth path in a competitive marketplace. What is the missing ingredient that could propel them to new heights?
The answer lies in an effective brand strategy.
Growing up in my neighborhood of Jersey City, NJ, there was no shortage of mom-and-pop shops. Everything from the local bodega, barbershops, beauty salons, to nail shops were locally owned by Black, Caribbean, Asian, and Latino shop owners. The melting pot of ethnic business owners provided an array of diverse offerings of products and services to the local community.
However, the businesses that held multiple locations within the 21 square mile radius of Jersey City were larger brands such as Dunkin' Donuts, 7-11, McDonald’s, etc. This is obviously an apples-to-oranges comparison, as these companies are major corporations with resources far beyond those of a local mom-and-pop shop. However, capturing the foot traffic in any local community requires promoting the shop’s opening. Once established, either through location or word of mouth, customers start to flow through.
Companies such as Dunkin' Donuts benefit from several factors, such as brand recognition and strategic, consistent investment in their marketing, all of which help them grow. How can minority small businesses employ a similar model without the same budget?
A commonly known strategy by larger corporations but less known by minority-owned businesses is brand strategy. According to HubSpot, "Brand strategy is part of a business plan that outlines how the company will build rapport and favorability within the market. The goal of a brand strategy is to become memorable in the eyes of the consumer so that they decide to patronize your business over the competition."
In simpler terms, brand strategy answers several key questions:
Who are you?
A brand is more than a logo or tagline—it represents the reputation, identity, and total experience a client has with the business. Minority-owned companies that lack a brand strategy often send mixed messages about who they are and what makes them special. Without differentiation, they risk being seen as replaceable or generic.
Who are you for?
Some customers are caught, and some are sought. Minority-owned businesses may have a built-in base. This can be family members, local community, or avid supporters, but to scale, the business will require the intentional process of attracting a wider customer base.
Beyond defining the target audience by factors such as demographic, psychographic, and other surface-level criteria, understanding the audience by deeper level factors such as shared values, internal and external desires, fears, and learning what their day-to-day life entails provides minority-owned businesses the opportunity to establish a more meaningful relationship with their audience.
This is a significant advantage local businesses have over corporate brands. Defining a strategy to leverage these insights at scale can create a pathway to growth.
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What do you do, and what makes you special?
Name one business, and you’ll find hundreds just like it. Yet applications to start new businesses exceeded 2 million. Although the product or service may not be new, how the customer experience is delivered will be the key difference. That difference is the superpower helping minority-owned businesses stand out from the competition. The challenge is to define, shape, and communicate the value of that uniqueness to the broader market.
Why should customers choose you?
Having a defined set of principles and core values that guide the business creates the true essence of the brand identity. Today, consumers want brands that are built on a deeper mission that they can stand behind. “According to Edelman, 67% of consumers must trust the brand before they’ll continue buying its products or services.”
An intentional brand strategy helps minority service entrepreneurs shape how clients perceive and relate to their business. It allows them to crystallize and communicate their unique value proposition, inspiring trust in the quality and reliability of their work. Brand clarity boosts referrals and word-of-mouth as happy clients are more confident recommending a business with a clear identity.
A compelling and consistent brand story allows them to expand beyond relying solely on their immediate community for growth. It enables them to build a reputation and client base in the broader marketplace.
As the generational wealth gap among minority communities continues to widen, the scaling of minority-owned businesses can be a catalyst to close this divide.
Minority service companies must deliver on their brand promise through excellent customer service and consistent quality. However, without brand strategy as a foundation, those efforts are less cohesive and impactful.
For minority entrepreneurs looking to grow, prioritizing brand clarity and resonance is a game-changer. By taking control of how they are perceived in the marketplace, they can open new doors while staying true to their roots. The brand should reflect their unique community role and value, not obscure it.
Not sure if you’re optimizing your brand strategy for best results? Contact me at [email protected] or DM if you’d like a free Brand Strategy Audit.
Sources:
Candice Jackson Long is the CEO of CJL Consulting Group, a branding and marketing firm that helps black creators, small to mid-sized business owners, and nonprofits make a lasting impact by shaping and expanding their brand story.?? www.candicejacksonlong.com
Awesome content.. thanks for sharing.