We’re so passionate about branding because we know the benefits of what great branding can do for the growth of your business.
Some small business owners think that they don’t need to worry about branding because they’re not looking to become a big corporation…or their visuals or website is something they don’t need to focus on until they grow.
But branding isn’t only for big companies. Branding is for every type of business…even for the small businesses out there. Even if you’re not quite ready for a strategic website to help you make money, understanding what you do and who your business is for is all part of the branding process.
If you’re ready to give up the overwhelm of trying to figure out how to keep your business open…and you’re ready to set your business up for long-term growth, great branding is what you need.
When you’re first starting your business, we get that you have to be resourceful and be smart about where you spend your money.
You need equipment to produce your products. You need materials. You need business cards. You need a logo. A website. You need to market yourself to bring in business so that you can eventually invest in great branding.
And so for the time being, you decide that you’ll just figure it out on your own.
And that’s why so many people put it off.
But then let’s say you’re a year or two or three into your business, and you feel like, at this point, you should have enough profit margin to invest in something so crucial, but as soon as income starts to roll in, it goes right back out…not allowing you to create a business that’s sustainable.
Does that sound like you?
Branding is like a game plan…it’s your strategy for long-term growth. Branding helps streamline everything upfront so you don’t end up wasting thousands of dollars on marketing or redoing a website that didn’t bring you any results in the first place.
We can get into deep discussions about this with people. We’ve heard from business leaders that branding is not something you should worry about when you’re first starting your business. But they’re more or less talking about your design or the visual aspect of your business (which still is very important).
A lot of business owners have a hard time figuring out who their target audience is or what irresistible offer they’ll have available to their customers. They’re still trying to figure out who they are as a business.
We get that. But people don’t realize that that is actually part of branding! It’s the brand strategy and development side of your business.
If someone offers to do your branding for your business, make sure it’s someone who will help with your strategy too. Because branding isn’t only about your visuals. Branding includes the strategy that actually helps your business grow.
Think of branding as the foundation of your business. It helps you establish your vision, your offer, your values, how you’re different from your competitors, your brand personality and voice…all the fundamentals you need to build your particular business.
It’s kind of like the age-old question of…
Would you rather invest a bigger chunk of money upfront or pay smaller amounts over time but end up spending twice or even three times as much in the end?
Let’s address a couple of myths we hear all the time when it comes to branding.
Myth #1: “I can do it myself.”
With great resources out there, we’re becoming more and more of a DIY society.
And if you fall into the do-it-yourself category, props to you for being so resourceful! The thing is, if you’re not familiar with how branding works, you’ll only hurt yourself in the long run.
If you do want to create your brand on your own…at the very least get guidance from a professional so you’re not alone. They’ll save you from overwhelm AND help you take the most direct path when it comes to creating your brand.
We all know what it’s like to do things on our own only to find ourselves feeling so stuck, not knowing what to do, how to make smart decisions, and feeling overwhelmed.
There are a lot of moving pieces when it comes to branding. There are so many things to consider! But it doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking if you get help from an expert.
Listen, you work hard for your business…it’s your dream. And we genuinely want you to not only have a business, but we want you to have a thriving one. Not one that looks like your competitor down the street.
We want you to have one that’s uniquely yours. One that makes people choose your business over someone else’s. Because you have your own journey and your own story to share. No cookie-cutter stuff, ok?? That’s what we want for you! Your own unique brand.
Statistically speaking? Studies show that 90% of people judge the credibility of a business by how it looks.
Your visuals are the first impressions of your business. And you want your visuals to align with your vision and strategy.
Do you want people to take your business seriously? Do you want your customers to know that they’re being taken care of by professionals?
People will judge whether you can really provide the solution they need based on their first impressions of your business. Don’t risk turning away potential customers with a brand that doesn’t look professional.
Myth #2: “I have a great-looking logo so that must mean I have a great brand.”
We met someone recently who wanted to get some feedback on the logo for his business. He spent a few weeks on one, but then asked a friend who was somewhat of a designer to create one that was better looking.
He loved the new logo his friend made. She was a modern calligrapher, and she hand-lettered his logo. Honestly, it was beautiful!
He had used this logo on his website and all of his marketing materials.
He got some compliments on the logo for sure, but he wasn’t getting any customers.
He loved his new logo, so he wondered where the disconnect was.
For one thing, his target audience was primarily male. And although some of his customers liked the logo, the majority didn’t feel like they connected to it. Which meant, they didn’t feel connected to his business and didn’t feel like his business could help them specifically.
Visually, he was attracting people who weren’t his ideal clients…and when those people realized that, they went on to take their business elsewhere.
The people who actually fit his target audience were not interested in his business at all because they didn’t feel a connection to this new look. They just thought, “This isn’t for me.”
It’s important to understand that your visuals are just one of many parts of your brand. It’s an important part because first impressions are vital, but it’s still just one part of your story.
Effective brand visuals (which include your logo) take a lot of skill and training. Creating a logo that doesn’t align with your strategy – vision, values, target audience, and positioning – could really make things confusing. (If you provide quality services with attention to detail, but your brand lacks detail, that will send a conflicting message to potential customers.)
The moral of the story is: bad design can actually cost you money. Even with a great design, if it doesn’t attract your target audience, it can still affect the growth of your business.
And as a reminder, your logo does not determine your brand. It’s just a small, but still very important part of branding.
Myth #3: “We can’t afford a professional to create our brand.”
Having your company branded professionally is an investment, yes…but it’s one worth making.
Branding companies can sometimes charge up to $175,000 depending on the size of your company. (I’m not saying you should spend this much…it just depends on a variety of things… the size of the business, if they’re a super recognizable company if they need a major overhaul, etc.)
Not investing in a professional will most likely cost your business MORE if you don’t have a cohesive and consistent brand in place.
Some people think that cheap logo-maker sites are the solution to creating a brand, but those logos aren’t unique to your particular business and won’t help your business long term.
These sites are usually what small business owners default to try and save money, but those logos feel homemade and aren’t custom to your business.
Anyone struggling to stand out from their competitors?? If you use a logo template, there’s a good chance your competitor has one that looks similar to yours. So what are you doing to help customers choose your business over theirs?
Someone who is willing to just create a “quick” logo for you isn’t invested in the growth of your business. And most of these logos are a copycat of another which could cause a lot of trouble in your business later down the road.
Branding is one of the most important investments you can make for your business.
And while there are brand agencies that charge up to tens of thousands of dollars, there are some that focus on small-business branding and have affordable rates.
Just make sure you invest with someone who cares about the growth of your business and is not in it just to make a dollar.
By the way, we offer a group program for those of you who are wanting to step up your branding game! If you’re looking to invest, but not ready for a full custom brand, it’s a perfect solution for you!
Learn more about our group program here.
Myth #4: “We don’t need a brand.”
Whether you realize it or not, your business has a brand.
How you choose the name of your company, how you deliver on your promises, the way you execute your services, and what your customers say about you – all of that creates an impression of what it’s like to do business with you. And that’s what branding is.
Have you ever been in a situation where an acquaintance introduces you to someone and tells someone what you do, but it’s completely wrong? That’s when you know you have a disconnect in your brand.
No matter how much we think we know about our brand, we need to make sure we communicate that to our potential customers. Your brand is what other people say about you. It’s your reputation.
When people interact with your brand, do they take it seriously? Or does your business come across as a side hustle you only do in your spare time? Ever wonder what people really think about your business? Do you have the competitive edge that you need to stand out from others like you?
Do people understand the value of your services or do they make decisions solely on price because they don’t understand how you can effectively grow their business?
If you’re confusing your customers about what you do and how you help them, you’re losing business.
Branding is one of the most important investments you can make in your business. It’s not just for big companies, it’s for small businesses too. And remember, we all need to focus on knowing our value and understanding how to communicate that to people.
It’s important that you know who you are as a brand so you can help your customers understand who you are too.
Until next time,
Happy Branding!
