When it comes to starting a business and even running a business, branding can be the last element that’s considered and by this point there might not even be much of a budget leftover either. Most business owners will invest in equipment, supplies and the necessary accreditation (if required) first before anything else. When it comes to getting a logo designed and getting some branding put in place they’ve run out of money and end up doing it themselves knowing it doesn’t look as professional as it could do.

Branding is really important and can have a huge positive impact on every business. It’s not just about having a logo... branding is so much more than that. It’s about your positioning within your marketplace compared to your competitors. It’s about your brand values, your brand personality, and your brand message and tying them all together so they’re targeting and appealing to the right people.

Visual branding

Then there’s the visual aspect of branding; making sure the colours and fonts are right. Photography is really important as well and if you’ve had professional photographs taken - brilliant! Stock photos are good, but they’ll never fully represent you and your business in the way you’d like them too.

Just think of MacDonalds. What is the first thing you think of? Is it the golden M, or the ‘I’m lovin’ it” strapline?

The same with Nike... Do you think of the tick first, ‘Just Do It’ or a person running/playing sports? This is branding and this is how it works.

Sum up your brand in 3 words

I know being a small business owner means the budget is sometimes tight and world domination seems far away, but by being consistent in the service you provide and the message you are trying to get across can also contribute to great branding.

If you could sum up your brand within 3 words, what would they be? And better still, could you ask some of your top clients the same question? How would they describe your brand in 3 words? It can be so beneficial to ask your clients because they work with you, they’re your biggest fans and they’ll be raving about you to everyone else too. It’s nice to see things from their perspective and it may give you a few surprises.

Consistency and adding value

Branding is all about consistency! Being consistent with your colours, fonts, layouts, message, values, and personality - all of this combined will help create a more recognisable brand.

There’s a famous quote about branding by Jeff Bezos, from Amazon where he says, “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.” You want to make sure that as soon as a person comes into contact with your brand, they are having a positive and memorable experience.

If you have a service based business, could you find out what your customers' favourite biscuits are so that when they next have a meeting with you, you have their favourite biscuits ready and it will instantly make them feel special and put a smile on their face too.

If you have a product based business, could you put a branded thank you card in with all your orders, personally signed by you to show you really appreciate customers supporting your small business? It’s the little touches like these that go a long way to creating that positive impact for you and your business.

Brand experience

This is how important an impact branding can have on your business. People always talk about the negatives experiences they’ve had on a daily basis, such as bad service at a restaurant or their parcel hasn’t arrived for a certain date when it said it would and so on. If you give your customers
a real ‘wow’ experience this will trump all negative experiences because they will want to tell everyone how amazing your business is!

If you haven’t considered branding up until this point, now is the time to do so. Think about how you want your customers to feel after they’ve worked with you? And how can you add value and make this happen? Also by making sure all your visual branding is consistent online and offline can have a big impact too.

If you have any questions at all about branding, please don’t hesitate in contacting me. Hollie

Hollie Ellis Design

I’m a freelance graphic designer in Newcastle upon Tyne with clients all over the UK and further afield, ranging from sole traders to large corporations. I specialise in branding, logo design, and print design and with 10 years experience in the design industry, I know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to branding businesses.

To find out more, please visit www.hollie-ellis.co.uk or contact me via email: hollie@hollie-ellis.co.uk