Well, here we go! I’m finally diving into blogging to give my fellow business owners the inside scoop on making the most of their business through: BRANDING! I’m going to give you a little insight into branding your business and what better way to start than with a post about what you need to be prioritizing when you are starting out and have no idea what you’re doing?!
So pay close attention and get ready to take notes 😉
1. A COHESIVE BRAND COLOUR PALETTE & FONTS
First, don’t make the mistake of choosing a massive colour palette, unless it is necessary, and you have experience in this area. 2 brand colours, along with Black & White are all you need to get started. Just make sure those colours align with who you serve and what your business represents!
When it comes to fonts, the same rule applies. You can have incredible branding with just 1-2 fonts if you use fonts with varying weights.
Ex. Bold, Regular, Italic, Light
If you have variations of fonts, you can use them for different purposes like headers, sub headers, paragraphs, etc. Remember this: Different weights at different sizes with hierarchy!
2. ON-BRAND IMAGERY & PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
If you do not have professional photos, look on websites like Pexels or Unsplash for imagery that suits your brand vibe. Ex. You’re a business coach – find images of office spaces, laptops, etc. You can zoom in on the images of people and integrate it with other photos you may have taken of yourself.
If you are going to hire a professional photographer (which I highly recommend) make sure that you brainstorm ideas and have a clear vision on what you want your brand to look like. Images have massive impact in branding whether it is your website, social media, or printed materials, so pay close attention there!
Photo resources:
3. BRAND MESSAGING & TONE OF VOICE
Keep your messaging consistent. Even if you are adding new services or changing the direction of your business, consistency in the overall messaging will help this process go a lot smoother!
What’s tone of voice? The way you talk. The words you use. The way you present it!
ALL OF THE ABOVE!
4. A CONSISTENT BRANDING LOGO & GRAPHIC ELEMENTS
You can get by with 1-2 logos when you are starting out, but as your business grows you’re going to want a full logo suite with different types of logos for different purposes. For example, your main (primary) logo often does not fit on social media and is too detailed for your website. Whatever stage you are at, make sure you keep your logos consistent and within your brand colours. It helps you become recognizable in your industry, along with any graphics you use.
For example. For Hanbury Design Co I use things like palm trees, vintage, and lightning bolts as my graphic elements.
5. SHOWING YOUR WORK & YOU
(A PART OF BRANDING YOU MAY NOT HAVE CONSIDERED!)
This is an area where I am always trying to grow and expand. Make sure you try your best to share your work or what you are doing in your business. I know that everyone has different comfort levels. If you can share a behind the scenes, information about your products, your shop, etc. do that!
If you are comfortable showing your face and giving updates, do that!
*Remember, not everyone is going to be a fan of you or your business and that is okay. You don’t love everything, so why should they? You’re looking for your customers, not the ones who don’t want what you are offering!
Find your weekly branding and website design tips to help you on the path to becoming an “it” brand right here!
If you want to take your business to the next level and create a brand that attracts the customers you want, INQUIRE HERE TODAY!
Xx – Jess
March 28, 2023
