Starting your own business can be an overwhelming task. You’ve got to decide on your business venture and the products or services you want to offer. You’ll spend days brainstorming a name and you’ll think endlessly about the customers and clients that you’ll be servicing.

But while clients and sales are vital, branding your business is just as important. That’s because a bad first impression is worse than no impression at all. So, it’s essential for business success that your brand is memorable, professional and unique.

When it comes to your branding, there’s no need to get overwhelmed. This beginner’s guide will step you through the items that will help you define your brand’s personality, and lead to a cohesive, professional, memorable brand that brings in the very best leads.

Although not essential, brand marks are a great way to elaborate on your brand’s personality. Brand marks can be small icons, abbreviations of your primary logo or some other brand specific illustrations that further communicate your service, values or personality.
It’s important to ensure your brand marks aren’t purely decorative. Every visual within your branding strategy should be used purposefully to convey your brand personality and need to be as strategic and intentional as your logo.

Thoughtful and effective use of typography provides an overall seamless brand experience, exactly what potential clients are looking for. Importantly, well considered typography can subliminally demonstrate attention to detail and clarity of thought leading your audience to see you as a brand that is organised and confident in itself.

Font choice, colour and text size can also prove to be vital in attracting your target audience. Legible, easy-to-read fonts allow readers to perceive information easier and subtle font changes help you to dictate information hierarchy. 

At this point your brand is comprised of your logo, brand marks, colour scheme and fonts. Now it’s time to bring it all together. The important thing here is to keep it visually consistent.

Visual consistency is extremely important in keeping your brand focussed across all platforms – website, social media, business templates, invoices, business cards and so on. If you have certainty and conviction in your branding, then your audience is more likely to trust your services. And, when you keep within the confines of your branding you help potential clients recognise you in the market. The average person consumes 11.4 pieces of content before making a purchasing decision. The more often they see and recognise you in the market, the more likely they are to work with you in the future

Of course, your brand doesn’t finish here. Your brand is every touch point, interaction or even feeling that your client or customer has in relation to you. It’s the way you dress and the car you drive. It’s the way you answer your phone and the way you sign your emails. While you don’t need to completely change your life to suit your brand, you must be considerate and thoughtful when acting for the brand. And it does mean you should never link your vegan chip brand to pictures of you at McDonalds!

If you are looking to develop an intentional and strategic brand – we would love to help you! Get in touch today.