And why is it important to your small business?
Do you have a logo? Or do you have a brand? The two terms get bandied about a lot and seem interchangeable. Most small businesses now realise they do need some sort of a logo. But do they need a brand? Isn’t that just for big corporations with lots of money?
Your logo and your brand are two different things. And simply explained.
Your logo
Your logo helps people identify your business and it’s what helps your business become recognisable. So use your logo every where you make contact with your customers – business cards, invoices, emails, packaging, website, social media.
Get recognised and remembered.
Your brand
Your brand is what people say about your business when you’re not there.
It’s how your business makes your customers feel after they’ve done business with you or bought a product.
What would your customers tell their friends about you?
In a nutshell, your brand is your reputation and that’s important whether you’re a big corporate business or an SME.
Most people can figure out how to get hold of a logo, either diy or professional (do contact me if you need one!)
But how do you create a brand?
Start with your mission statement
The very first thing to do is write your mission statement. Ok, it sounds fancy but essentially it’s why you get up in the morning and run your business. What drives you in your business?
My logo customers fill in Your Logo Journey worksheet and this touches on their mission statement and helps me to create the perfect logo for them. It’s a nosey little worksheet but it helps them find a direction in their business. I’ve even had customers take a different direction in their business during a logo design because they’ve sat down and really thought about what they do.
Build your brand
Once you’ve decided why you’re in business, take a look at how you connect with your customers (and potential customers):
• Emails and letters
• Networking and meetings
• Exhibitions
• Shop or rooms
• Parcels and packaging
• Invoices
• Blogs and newsletters
• Website and social media
• Marketing collateral
Definitely make sure you have your logo on everything that your customer will see as it will start to make you recognisable. But more importantly, think about your processes and how your customer will feel dealing with you.
Apply your mission statement and let it guide your decisions.
How do I do this?
If you sell products have you taken care photographing them?
If you sell on a website is the whole customer experience enjoyable? From browsing and buying to receiving a beautiful package.
If you provide businesses services, do your customers know what to expect from you and what you expect from them? Are your processes clear and easy to follow? Even if you work haphazardly behind the scenes, don’t be confusing with your customers.
Think about your ‘business voice’ and I don’t mean the posh voice you use on the phone! It’s how you write your newsletters, social media, emails, customer queries, marketing materials, website.
Think about every bit of your business and how you can apply your mission statement to it so your customers get the very best experience they can.
Logo and brand working together
Building a brand will take time, it’s not done over night, even with experts. It can take years and lots of tweaking your business to get it right. But if people don’t recognise you, it doesn’t matter how great your business is.
Your logo can be created much quicker but even the best logo in the world won’t help if your business isn’t up to scratch, if products aren’t great or customer service isn’t helpful.
You’ll build a much better reputation if you create good brand values and promote them with a good logo to get your business recognised. The two are different but work together hand in hand.
And finally
Let your customers know what you stand for so they know what to expect when dealing with you. If you have created a good, trustworthy brand that people enjoy buying from or working with, they will choose you again. And tell their friends.
Has this cleared up the different between logo and brand for you?
Let me know in the comments.
Liz x
