Branding is the heart and soul of your small business. It is a unique identity that sets you apart from your competitors. It is more than just a logo, fonts and great graphics. Branding includes the outward appearance which includes the fun things like logos, design and fonts, but it also nurtures an internal message that establishes the unique identity of your business. It also helps your products and services stand out from your competitors. Think of your brand as the personality of your business!
There are a few key elements to your branding that should be nurtured to enhance the personality of your small business. There is nothing worse than looking for a needle in a haystack. If you lack personality in your business, it will be difficult for your customers to find your products and services when they need them most.
Create a brand that stands out. Listen to the episode here.
Create a Brand Image That Stands Out
Your brand image is the opportunity to stand out. It is the first thing consumers notice. While your image is just a piece of the branding formula, it is an element that will help you drive the personality and consistency in your marketing, advertising and sales. Brand image is what helps you stand out, especially in the digital world. Here are a few elements you need to create consistency and pop imaging that helps your brand stand out.
Color scheme or palette
Choosing your brand colors is a work of art. Selecting brand colors is not about picking your favorite colors. There is a real psychological aspect to choosing color for your brand. Who knew that color choice can actually influence consumers to take action with your brand? It may surprise you, but color can directly impact a buyers decision making.
Your brand colors will play a significant role in your marketing and advertising. Most brands will have a palette of 3-8 colors. These consist of primary and secondary colors. Primary colors are the main brand colors, while secondary colors are meant to compliment the primary colors. We advise you to have no more than 2-3 primary colors and 3-4 secondary colors. When we create a brand board for our clients we generate 3 primary colors and 3 secondary colors.
Fonts… They really do matter
Fonts tap into memories, experiences and emotions. Your font choices have the ability to psychologically communicate the efficacy of your communications through design.
There are simple rules to follow to gain trust and loyalty from consumers. It should be legible, readable, and be aesthetically appealing for your industry.
Readable: Communication is key and should be considered first when choosing your fonts. If it is difficult to read, count that font out.
Legible: Consider whether the font can be read at a glance and from a distance.
Aesthetically Appealing: Your typeface should conform to the appeal expected by the audience for which the design is intended to reach. For example, if you are designing a brand for a dentist office, avoid fonts that look like chalk or paint strokes. This font would be better for an elementary school.
Do you need some help choosing fonts? First make sure you choose no more than 3 fonts, and for more help choosing the right fonts for your brand check out Wordmark!
Logo design
When you create your logo, simplicity is the key to success! What is simple? It should be memorable and identifiable, even from a distance. Think McDonalds, Coca Cola and Nike! These well known brands simplified their logo. Your logo will hang around for a long time so make sure it is recognizable, memorable and can stand the test of time.
How To Develop a Brand Identity and Culture
The culture of a company starts with bringing it to life and sharing it with the target market or ideal buyer. The identity and culture created through your brand has a significant impact on your businesses success. Brand identity and culture is shaped by the following elements:
- Mission
- Vision
- CORE values
- Products and services
- Customer experience
Download our FREE guide, 6 Steps to Your Six-Figure Business. We will guide you and help you discover your mission, vision, CORE Values and product tiers.
Develop a Brand Personality
In short, a brand personality is a set of human-like characteristics that are attributed to your company. Do not try to be your competitor. Through design, messaging, images, marketing and advertising, your brand’s personality is on display to the world. So, do not try to be your competitor, rather be authentically you! One of the greatest business books ever gifted to me was, “Believe It” by Jamie Kern Lima. These few words have so much depth and meaning to your brand’s personality.
” Authenticity doesn’t automatically guarantee success… but inauthenticity guarantees failure.” – Jamie Kern Lima – Founder of IT Cosmetics
You cannot fake authenticity. Whether you are trying to increase sales or build your community you have to show up with authenticity. Always cultivate brand identity, image and personality, your small business will have the opportunity to stand out in a sea of competitors.
I Need Help Establishing My Brand
At Jump Start Business Builders we love helping our fellow entrepreneurs discover their first $100,000 in revenue and dispel the myth that you are 2-3 years away from getting a paycheck. Through our one-on-one coaching program we help you take the steps to grow your six-figure business. Complete the FREE business assessment and get a FREE 30 minute coaching session! We know in just a few minutes together, we will discover thousands of dollars in revenue to impact your bottom line.
Connect with Jump Start Business Builders on our weekly Podcast, follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn!
Connect with Jump Start Business Builders on our weekly Podcast, follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn!
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