Before You Start Branding Your Business

Before thinking of branding yourself, you need to decide if you want to create a brand and what that means. Many people just jump into creating a logo and a business card based on what they personally think looks good and don't give much more thought to it than that.

If you think that you can just spend a couple of hours creating a color pallet and a cute logo and then have a successful brand, you will need to think again.  Some brands have spent millions of dollars creating a brand that is memorable and helps generate income Coke a Cola, Nike, Disney, Apple, and McDonald's are just a few. 

Creating a Mental Image

 You know that a company has a successful brand if, when you see their logo, you instantly recognize it and what the company stands for. This is because the brand is not just the actual product itself, but the idea the brand creates in the mind. 

Thinking back to when I was a child, I remember a very powerful ad that had a lot of impact on me then and even today. Coke a Cola introduced a string of advertisements that were all about how Coke a Cola could bring peace, joy, and happiness to the world. It made such an impact on me that I became a die-hard Coke fan. Their campaign spoke to my inner core that desired peace. 

The first thing you need to keep in mind when trying to create your brand is that it is critical for you to stay true to yourself. If you are a power-driven person that will do whatever it takes to get to the top, but you brand yourself as a soft-spoken, quiet, peaceful person, you will not be able to stay true to the image you sold, and eventually, people will see right through you and your brand will not stick. 

Quick Overview of Steps 

 1. Chose the main color and the complementary colors that will portray the feeling you want your clients to get when they see your advertisements, business logo, cards, and forms. 

 2. Select the type of design that will confirm and verify the message and feeling you want to project. 

 3. Select Your tagline will compliment all of the subliminal messages we have put together using color and design. 

Through this process do not be too hard on yourself if this doesn’t come naturally. You can also give yourself permission to allow this project to be a developing work in progress. You may not know exactly what direction you are headed in your business. If you are planning on making this a long-time career, don’t compare yourself with a business that has been successful for 30 years. Make it okay to be where you are. 

Conclusion

It is important to really analyze the message you want to communicate prior to you starting to build your brand.  Pros, Master Minds, and Mavens can find the Branding E-book in your library.  If you want to learn more about branding and marketing, check out our upcoming Workshops and Master Classes.