A company’s brand is a powerful thing and should not be taken lightly. It is alarming how instant and visceral associations with brands can be. The mere sight of a green circle with white words and stars can create a strong urge for a latte and most anyone anywhere can tell you that a swoosh indicates a Nike product, no questions asked. So it stands to reason that people form strong associations with brands and their logos.
A new company has quite an opportunity to make a strong brand impression, but many entrepreneurs become so tangled up in the business of creating a business that they rush or gloss over this important step. Don’t make this mistake.
As a marketing consultant I am always preaching about keeping a cohesive brand image and curating a powerful brand message. Here are a few guidelines that I have learned over the years to help a business (however small) create a memorable brand.
- Don’t Skimp on Your Logo – I often hear new business owners complain about the cost of logo creation. It’s true that graphic design can get costly, but one good design is worth 100 bad ones, as with everything else, cost is relative. You don’t have to spend a fortune, but find a designer who understands your vision and who is honest enough to tell you what will work and not work from a design perspective.
- Less Is More – clean and simple lines can be much more powerful than a complex image. Most iconic brands have simple logos with limited colors. Pare down and simplify your ideas whenever possible.
- Test Ideas – Most designers will create a few variations on a theme when designing a logo. Ask people to tell you how they feel about each and why, it’s always good to know how people who aren’t familiar with your business concept will perceive your brand.
- Stay Consistent – I can’t stress this enough, once you have a winning combination don’t veer from it out of boredom, self doubt, or one small criticism (there will ALWAYS be critics). Tweaking, revising, and changing your brand imagery will make your company seem unstable and unsure, better to have someone dislike what you have created then to not recognize you at all. Make sure that your brand is represented the same way on all social media as well so that you can be easily identified from one platform to the next.
The creation of a good brand identity will help potential clients and customers recognize you in a sea of competitors. Keeping up your brand’s reputation will be up to you, but giving it the best start possible is invaluable to your business.
Social Media Adviser for the Business Innovation Center
Owner, Clever Girl Marketing, Inc.