For any company small,medium, or large; Branding is very important. It is actually more important than the product or service that your selling. If people don’t ‘buy’ into your brand then they won’t engage in your services.
This is a difficult problem to begin with, but the first step is to think about what your business wants to achieve, and how it wants to achieve it. If you have created a business plan already, this will help.
Think laterally. Understand your market and unique selling points, this can help inform your brand, for example if you are providing finance for small businesses: “Flexible working capital finance - on the best terms.” Once you’ve settled on what your business is and what it stands for, apply them to all areas of your work.
Logos
Obviously the logo is an integral part of your brand, it is the first stop for brand recognition and so needs to be memorable. You need to have a strong, balanced image that is distinctive and bold in design; a crisp look, no clutter. If your logo has graphic imagery it must look appropriate for your business i.e. communicates what you do and works well with your company name. The logo should work in colour or monochrome.
Consult a professional
So you have an idea about what you want your branding to look like, but unless you’re a designer yourself you should seek help. A one-off logo design won’t cost you much at all, and even a lengthier branding discussion with an expert is a worthwhile investment.
Universal brand coverage
Your branding must be uniform across every area of your business, it has to be consistent. From your Google adwords advert campaigns to your social media pages like Twitter and Facebook, your colour schemes, message and logo must be the same. Your company blog should keep a similar tone to your business, the objective of your brand is to be recognised regardless of the various mediums i.e Social Network, Print Advertising etc.
It is always worth consulting your other work colleagues or an outside party; they can give a fresh approach and un-biased opinion to what your business stands for. This is also good for team morale; including your employees in the decision making process gives them a greater investment in the business and will nurture stronger team unity.