The short answer: to grow a small brand, start by understanding why it is small. Then give customers a clear, compelling reason to choose it, and only then decide how much to spend and where. Different kinds of small need very different growth plans.
I recently read Andrew Tindall’s article about his debate with Les Binet on how smaller brands should grow, and found plenty to relate to from helping grow Frog Bikes from a start-up into an international premium brand. One argument stood out: before deciding how much to spend, a challenger needs to understand what makes it worth choosing.
Why does it matter why your brand is small?
Most small brands want the same thing: more customers, more often. But the reason a brand is small shapes what will actually help it grow. Spending more on advertising won’t fix a supply problem. Chasing a mass audience can undermine a brand that is deliberately niche. And a premium brand that discounts to win volume can damage the very thing that makes it worth choosing.
That is why I find Les Binet’s framework from How to Grow Your Brand so useful. It starts with diagnosis rather than tactics.
The six kinds of small
Binet describes six reasons a brand can be small. Below is how I think about what each one means in practice.
- New. Not enough people know the brand yet. Growth comes from building awareness and making the brand easy to find and buy.
- Niche. The brand serves a specific audience by choice. Growth comes from deepening relevance and finding adjacent audiences without diluting what makes it special.
- Small category or market. The brand may be strong, but the category or market it competes in is small. Growth may mean growing the category itself or expanding into new markets.
- Supply constrained. Demand is there, but the business can’t make, stock or deliver enough. Fixing capacity and distribution comes before stimulating more demand.
- Expensive. A premium price naturally limits who buys. Growth depends on making the value clear to the people who will pay for it, not on cutting price.
- Underinvested. The brand simply isn’t spending enough to be seen. Here, the case for more investment is strongest, as long as the proposition is clear.
Most growing brands recognise themselves in more than one of these. Being honest about which matter most is the starting point for a credible growth plan.
Before the budget: what makes you worth choosing?
Whatever kind of small you are, customers need a reason to choose you over bigger, better-known alternatives.
At Frog Bikes, that meant making the benefits of a lightweight, carefully designed children’s bike meaningful to parents. The technical detail mattered, but so did what it meant for their child: easier handling, growing confidence and more enjoyment from cycling.
That proposition gave us something clear to build on as the business grew. It was premium, so it had to earn its price. It was new in many markets, so it had to be easy to understand quickly.
Carrying the proposition everywhere
A proposition only works if it shows up consistently wherever customers meet the brand. My role involved carrying it through product launches, retailer support, PR, ecommerce and partnerships, working closely with the founders, product and sales teams.
Collaborations with the likes of Team Sky, USA Cycling and the Tour de France helped extend our reach and punch above our weight, and our budget. They worked because they reinforced what Frog already stood for, rather than replacing it.
Making limited time and budget go further
Growing a smaller brand brings constant decisions about where to put limited time and budget. A clear proposition helps everyone make those decisions, from the creative brief to the conversation in a bike shop.
In practice, that means:
- Prioritising the audiences and markets where your reason to choose is strongest.
- Briefing agencies and partners with the same simple story, so every pound works in the same direction.
- Equipping retailers and sales teams to explain the benefits in customers’ terms.
- Choosing partnerships that extend your reach and reinforce your positioning.
- Measuring what matters, so you can see which investments are actually moving the brand forward.
A simple checklist for scaling a small brand
- Where do you sit? Which of the six kinds of small best describe your brand today?
- What is holding growth back? Awareness, distribution, capacity, price perception or investment?
- Why should customers choose you? Can you say it simply, in their terms?
- Do you have the reach and capability to deliver? Channels, partners, team and budget.
If you can’t answer these clearly, a structured marketing audit is a sensible place to start.
Next steps
Understanding why your brand is small, and what makes it worth choosing, is an essential part of scaling. It is also where senior marketing leadership can add a lot of value quickly. Find out more about brand positioning and campaigns, read how we scaled Frog Bikes internationally, or book a free 30-minute introductory call to talk about your brand.
Frequently asked questions
What are the six kinds of small brand?
In How to Grow Your Brand, Les Binet describes six reasons a brand can be small. It may be new, niche, in a small category or market, supply constrained, expensive or underinvested. Each points to a different way to grow.
Should a small brand simply spend more on marketing?
Not before it knows why it is small and what makes it worth choosing. Extra spend works hardest once the proposition is clear and the business can meet the demand it creates.
How can a small brand compete with bigger brands on a limited budget?
By being clear and consistent about why customers should choose it, focusing time and budget where they matter most, and using partnerships and collaborations to extend its reach.
