First steps in creating a brand for a smaller business

Your logo is a recognisable symbol that people will associate with your brand
- It becomes synonymous with your business

United Kingdom

A unique and simple logo design can be one of the most effective methods of creating brand name recognition

Why does my business need a brand?

Your brand is much more than just your business name or logo design. It tells potential customers who you are and what you do. Your brand is how you are perceived by customers. Brands are in the minds of customers and no where else.

Customers are willing to pay more for the goods and services of 'brand name' companies, and your sales and marketing will work more strongly if customers recognise your business, and have trust in your brand.

The brand also allows you to introduce new products and services to your market without having to explain again who you are, and what it is you do. Your business will be ‘pre-sold’, making it more straightforward to sell a new product or service.

Effective branding will give you an edge over your competitors. Owners of small enterprises have many ways to establish a brand on a fairly small budget and to benefit from positive ways that customers perceive their business.

Building a brand is not a short-term tactic, but the basis for building customer loyalty that should stand the test of time.

Logo design

When you first think about a logo to represent your business identity, you are likely to consider the colours, symbols and graphics that would best represent your company ethos and brand. However there are more considerations to take into account as well.

The best logo design conveys your visual identity in a simple way. People process an image in their mind more readily that words, and the images associated with your logo may well be remembered ahead of your company name.

The simpler the design, the easier it is for people to recall it as a recognisable and memorable brand.

Good design also needs to enable the logo to be used across different mediums. These include digital media such as web sites, emails, and .pdf brochures, and printed materials such as business cards and stationery, leaflets and brochures, exhibition promotional materials, adverts, and signage too.

The logo will need to work well as a brand design in each and every situation.

This usability perspective is important because the logo must communicate a consistent image - one that people will remember, and associate easily with your business.

Get it right first time

Good design should follow certain practical considerations.

1. Any design should work equally well in full colour or black and white

Logo designs often need to be sent through a fax machine or a normal copier where colour is not an option. The brand image needs to send the same strong message even when in greyscale.

2. A logo design should be clearly readable

As well as any image in the design, the text or wording must be legible - whether it is as big as a billboard, or tiny for placing on a business card, for example. It is useful to view your design first as a much smaller image, to see whether it really will work in all sizes.

3. Your logo should be unique

When people view your company logo, you want them to associate that design with your business and no other.

4. Using colours

The more colours used in a design, the more expensive that design can be to print (in certain circumstances), so try and keep your image - including any wording - to no more than four different colours.

5. A good logo design will stand the test of time

While the use of modern styling can be advantageous, you should bear in mind whether that same image will still be appropriate in ten years time.

Remember:

A logo design is not a brand; it is an important method to reinforce the brand. Your logo is a recognisable symbol that people will associate with your brand. It becomes synonymous with your business.

About the author:

Amanda Vlahakis runs Truly Ace, a creative design company which delivers high quality to businesses who are serious about their brand.

You can read more about Truly Ace on the Contributors page under About Us

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