Inside Small Business | Small Business & Home Business Marketing
What Brand is That?
A Brand. Just what is the big deal anyways? I’m just a small start up, with really no imaginary dreams of becoming the next monster clothing chain. I just want to have a nice little….blah, blah, blah.
Honestly, let’s be realistic, who doesn’t want to make as much money as possible? It doesn’t matter whether your starting a homemade candle company, or a new line of automobiles, the truth is we all become entrepreneurs to get away from “The Man” that has us boxed up in that 6’X 8’ cubicle. That is why we work, that is what drives this world, and that is the truth. Some people get lucky enough to actually work in a job they love (me included), and the rest of the world works because they have to. Most people who love their jobs wouldn’t do it for free! The cold hard facts of this world require us to work for money. There are great opportunities to provide service for others, but when it comes to our “jobs”, most of us prefer a paycheck; and the bigger the better.
So, you’ve broken away form the “cubicle”, and are starting your own business. I would like to talk to you about how you’re going to brand your company. The encyclopedia explains the meaning of a brand, far better than I can, and uses much more eloquent words;
[A brand includes a name, logo, slogan, and/or design scheme associated with a product or service. Brand recognition and other reactions are created by the use of the product or service and through the influence of , design, and media commentary. A brand is a symbolic embodiment of all the information connected to the product and serves to create associations and expectations around it. A brand often includes a logo, fonts, color schemes, symbols, and sound, which may be developed to represent implicit values, ideas, and even personality.]
I want to cover a few key elements of this description.
No where in this description, did it say that a brand was the logo!! I want to make sure everyone understands this. Your logo is not your brand. It can be the start of one, and may be included in such branding, but by itself it’s not a brand. As stated above, the brand includes, or may include the logo, colors, symbols etc.
The phrase “design scheme” is what I want to focus on here. As you start to design your peripherals (e.g. business cards, website, stationery, brochure etc), it is vital to keep in mind your logo, which should already represent you, and use that logo design for inspiration or guidance in designing the rest of your products. You don’t even have to use the logo as the main part in the design. For example, you have a startup coffee house, and you need to design your coffee grounds packaging. Your logo incorporates a circle with an image of coffee beans and an old world farmhouse, with rows of coffee plants. So, this illustrative logo opens up a myriad of possibilities in designing your packaging. Have fun, use elements of the logo, or just run with the concept of “Old World”. The logo itself can be place discretely on the package, and your product if designed correctly it will represent and strengthen your brand.
“A brand is a symbolic embodiment of all the information connected to the product and serves to create associations and expectations around it.” The catch here is this: an expectation isn’t good by default. That is up to you, your product, and your service. You can have the best logo in the world, and award winning design, but if your product is bad, or if your service is poor, it is not going to matter how well you brand yourself. People will always associate your brand with that bad product, and poor service.
The design of your peripherals is vital in establishing that strong brand. Everything associated with your company should say the same thing. Whether it is the use of fonts, colors, or design itself, your image should be repeated. The only way for a company to become branded is through visibility and repetition. I’m not just talking about seeing it either. You don’t need to have millions in financial backing to successfully market your product. Advertising is accomplished in many ways, and not all include paying for air time, or printed advertisements. Word of mouth can be extremely beneficial and effective in spreading your brand as well. Starbucks is a company that used almost no advertising, but had great design, and over a period of ten years developed such a strong brand that the company went from one shop to thousands.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t use a marketing company. On the contrary, it is vital for you to seek out any professional help you can. Word of mouth alone will not be sufficient to establish yourself. Your design on everything from the business cards you hand out to the packaging of your products, and the hangtags on your shirts will say something about your company. Even the airtime you use on the radio should help strengthen your brand. Don’t underestimate the importance of seeking professional guidance in establishing a great brand. It can make all the difference in determining whether you’ll become the next Starbucks. As Howard Schultz would say;
A great brand raises the bar — it adds a greater sense of purpose to the experience, whether it’s the challenge to do your best in sports and fitness, or the affirmation that the cup of coffee you’re drinking really matters.” – Howard Schultz (CEO, Starbucks Corp.)
Posted on Thursday, September 6th, 2007 at 11:18 am and is filed under Branding, Design, Graphic Design, Small Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
