5 Reasons to Start Your Business with a Brand
Not all businesses have a brand. Some businesses just have a logo, like some gas stations or hardware stores. Maybe even some restaurants. Businesses can survive and do well without branding.
Then why would a business even do branding? What’s the point? Great question and that’s what we will thoroughly discuss today. Especially as we head into the new year.
If you're contemplating about making the leap and invest in branding for your business, this post will go over the many benefits of having a brand and how it can set you apart from others in your industry.
First off, a quick review of what branding is.
Branding is the personality of your business through visuals. Or, in other words, a brand helps customers FEEL a certain way about your business.
Branding is more than a logo and a color palette. Branding is the embodiment of your brand down to how your employees interact with customers to what you wear to meet clients. It's a process that should be approached with strategy and intention.
So, let's jump into why your business needs a professional visual brand.
1. Professionalism
Branding offers professionalism in the best way.
Having a cohesive brand that is thoughtfully designed by a someone who understands design and branding gives your business the edge to make an impression that is professional and well thought-through.
Branding that spans across a variety of printed products and on-line platforms offers consistency and professionalism down to the last detail.
You want your ideal client to automatically view you and your business as professional and someone who can deliver what they are seeking, and that's what branding does for you.
2. Direction
It’s one thing to have someone make a logo, it’s completely another to have someone develop and design a brand identity because not only does the designer know how to represent your business but the designer knows how to communicate to the ideal audience through visuals.
One of the most important aspects of branding is making sure communication is made effortlessly and efficiently with the target audience.
Having the customer or audience in mind, knowing how to communicate and engaging them using their language makes for an exceptional brand.
Once you have the knowledge of your target audience and how to communicate it gives you a direction in, where to go, and how to go about it.
An important aspect of the branding process is providing a Brand Style Guide. What this is, is a map so-to-speak of how to use your brand. From colors to fonts it’s a roadmap for future marketing materials and for marketing your business in the future. See below.
3. Distinction
Branding allows a business to have unique qualities and gives the opportunity to really stand out.
With a brand there are color combinations, pattern styles, logo variations which all add to a completely customized and individual design that give your business unique characteristics and purpose.
Setting yourself apart is key to having a memorable brand but also a recognizable brand. One way to do that is to seek out a designer who offers unique design. Someone who doesn't follow the trends, who can listen to the needs of your business and deliver.
Being different from the competition gives your audience a greater chance of recognizing and remembering you.
4. Personality
From your logo, to your fonts, to your photography style, all these things show off your business’s personality. You can choose to be more laced up or more carefree.
The nice thing is that the personality of your business can shine through every aspect of your marketing and partnering with a designer who showcases that well is a great way to easily attract those ideal clients you would love to work with.
5. Consistency
Having a design that can be translated to many different mediums and represent your business, is a wonderful tool to have.
This also is a freebie for marketing. When you’re carrying around a handbag with a business logo, or wearing a T-shirt with a great design and a web address, it is a way of promoting your brand without being overt.
Consistency is huge with a brand. The branding process wrangles in multiple ideas, collects them, hones them, narrows in and translates them with purpose and direction for an audience that wants to buy from your business.
Branding is a big step for a business but will always be worth the investment because it adds so much value and gives professionalism, direction, distinction, personality and consistency. I would love to hear your thoughts on what you think about this topic.
Do you feel like your brand has all those qualities?
Does your brand lack any aspects you wish it had?
What are your challenges when it comes to branding?