How to Create On-Point Branding

Teri Jefferson
August 17,
3 min read

Branding is at the heart of marketing. It is what makes your business stand out, be recognizable and memorable. So why do so many small businesses forget about it or throw it together as an afterthought.

Branding is not just a logo or a catchy name. It is the way you are perceived and the epicenter of brilliant business practice. Here is our guide on how to create on-point branding that works for your small business.

What is Branding?

Branding is the way that businesses promote themselves using a certain ‘style’. This style encompasses: a name, a symbol, a tag line, a jingle, a mascot, a certain tone of voice, a style of writing or imagery, specific colours used repetitively, the style/type of content used, even the ethics behind a business can be a part of its branding. These features of branding come together as a whole as a businesses’ brand identity.

Brand Identity

A businesses’ brand identity is the way in which they are perceived due to their branding. This is what is important.

A business with an excellent brand identity can expect to:

Be recognizable
Be trusted over other businesses in the same sector
Be spoken about and shared
Be trending at some point
Have customers loyal to their brand
Have a strong reaction from customers
Have more interactions from their target-audience
Reach a wider demographic
Have a reputation
Customers have higher expectations

Your brand defines your business and it is up to you to create one that has a positive response from the public. Remember that if you have a negative response due to poor customer service or mistakes on your part, the reputation of your brand can be damaged. It is then up to you to rebrand or work that negative marketing round to your advantage.

A brand takes up-keep and attention to detail. However, it is not difficult to create one.

Dig Deep and Research

Before you do anything else, take time to look over your business plan.

Ask yourself;

“Why did I set up this business in the first place?”
“What does my business mean to me?”
“What does it stand for?”

Questions like this will lead you to your brand identity.

Create some core values and write amission statement. Research colours and styles that effervesce with your business’ brand identity.

Design

First up is your name. Choose something that you can link all of your socials to that is brand new to your business. If you already have a name, then decide how that will fit in with your brand identity or if you ought to change it.

Next, design a logo that symbolizes your brand. Create one that shows who your business is and what you offer. It can help to create more than one and sit with them for a day or so before you choose for certain. At www.logocreator.io you can design and download as many logos as you want for free, so it makes a great option for those who are designing their first logo.

Thirdly, think of the voice of your business.

How will you sound when posting your content?
What themes will you use?
How will you respond to customers?
Do you expect to be ultra-professional or more friendly?
Do your logo and name suggest this style?
If not, how can you change it so that it does?

If you want a jingle, a mascot or any other types of branding then create these with the same questions in mind. Remember the colours, images, styles and sounds you create all matter. A great brand comes together under one umbrella but the parts recognizable as separate entities that lead back to your business.

Consider how other people see your brand. You can always perform some of your own market research and ask for customer’s input when you are branding or rebranding. This will keep your audience in the loop and can be a great way to advertise, besides anything else.

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