Branding identifies your business, It’s how your customers recognise you, it’s more than just a logo, It’s a reflection of the culture and what your business stands for. 

What is business branding?

Branding is one of the most important aspects of any business. It tells your customers what they can expect from your products or services and how your business is different from your competitors. Your brand defines who you are, what you want to be, and what people perceive you to be.

When to develop your business branding

Your business branding should be considered in the very early stage of starting a business. One of the first things you may think you need is a logo. But you need to keep branding as a whole in mind when getting a logo designed. 

Defining your business brand

Creating a strong business brand involves digging deeper into why customers should be attracted to your business. 

Asking yourself the following questions can be a great place to start:

• What is the mission/purpose of your business?
• Who is your ideal customer? (age, gender, location, income, ethnicity, life stage, pain points etc.)
• What qualities do you want to be associated with your business?
• What problems does your business solve?
• What are the features and benefits of your products and services?
• What makes your business different from your competitors?

Designing Brand Assets

A style guide can help a designer when it comes to branding your business. A style guide is a bit of a rule book that provides guidelines for the way you want your brand to be represented. A style guide will have details of brand colours, in the forms of Colour Hex, RGB, PMS or CYMK and the typography, including fonts, font sizing and line spacing. It may also include details about the look and feel, amount of white space, use of graphics or photos and writing style. A style guide ensures that when multiple contributors work on something for your business, the result reflects your business style and ensures brand consistency throughout.

Where to apply business branding

The final step after developing branding for your business is to integrate it into every aspect of your business. You want your brand to be visible and emulated in everything your customers see and hear within your premises, from the environment and signage to the personal interactions. You can apply your business branding to almost anything. From signs and business cards to uniforms and packaging to your digital presence and novelty promotional items. 

Business cards are often first on the list once you have a logo. Uniforms and premises signage often comes next. If you are advertising your business through digital channels in the form of a website or social media, your style guide is the perfect way to ensure your brand looks the same from every angle.

Launching a business with a strong brand will give you a higher chance of success, helping customers to remember your business, giving them greater confidence in your products or services.