Branding is an essential tool in developing trust with an audience and it can lead to a deep affinity and loyalty from your customer base. Not to mention it can be fun too! This article will explain the basics of building a brand for your small business and we’ve included a free brand guideline template to make creating your brand a breeze.

1. What is a brand and how does it apply to my business?

A brand is about communicating who you are and the direction you want your company to take. To identify what your core values are think about the below questions, not only will this inform your brand identity it will keep you focused on your goals.

• Why did you start your business?

• What is the USP (unique selling point) / POD (point of difference) of your company?

• Who is your ideal customer?  

• What do you like and does this apply for your business?

• What is the businesses tone of voice?

2. How do I create my brand?

Branding is your logo however it is, or should I say it can be, so much more than that. Branding evokes an emotional reaction in your customer, it can turn people from total strangers into your biggest fans. In a saturated market it can be the difference between someone choosing you or a competitor.

3. How do I brand on a budget?

Once you have your brand brief you will need to decide who will realise it for you. There are a few factors to consider including your budget, your personal design abilities, your timeframe and what your physical brand needs are. Don’t forget you can use a combination of the below.

• If you feel comfortable using design software such as Photoshop, Illustrator or Canva you can design your branding yourself.

• Budding designers – finding a design student, a friend with creative flair or someone that does design in their spare time can be a great option to keep costs low and get quick results.

• Freelancers – sites such as Fiverr, UpWork, PeoplePerHour and LinkedIn are amazing resources to find design freelancers.

• Small design agencies – if you have a little more budget consider using a local design agency.

4. What does my company need to brand?

The below list is not exhaustive but it’s a good start when thinking about what you can brand. Include each point that applies to your business in your brief to inform the design process.  

• Logo.

• Typography.

• Packaging.

• Merchandise.

• Stationary.

• Equipment / vehicles.

5. What are brand guidelines?

Brand guidelines are a visual summary of your brand. It can be an A4 sheet or two depicting your branding foundations setting a clear tone for all communications both written and visual. These are good to have saved down to refer to and use as a resource. Any visuals can be saved as .png files to use for advertising, printing, content creation and social media promotion. We have created a downloadable brand guideline template to get you started.

It is advisable to spend time and an affordable amount of money on your branding to ensure you are happy with it.  It is costly to rebrand, and you want to effectively communicate your brand message to attract your ideal customer. Even if design isn’t your passion, your business it so it can still be an enjoyable process and well worth investing in.

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