Looking for branding tips? If you think we’re just about the words, think again!
Words are important – as you may have gathered from previous posts – and we’ve got an amazing team of writers that can handle everything from simple social media posts, to the most complicated white papers you can imagine. But ‘content’ isn’t just about words; it’s absolutely anything that you put out there, including your logo and other branding.
And that’s exactly why we’ve got a fantastic design team, too!
Design and content: they’re not that different
Think about why small businesses use creative agencies for web content and blog posts. It’s simple. Good blog posts aren’t just about stringing some words together to form sentences; they’re about stringing together the right words, in the right order, to deliver the right message and fully engage with the audience. It’s not all that different when it comes to small business branding. Anyone can draw up a nice-looking logo, but will that logo actually succeed in doing what it is you need it to do?
Branding: not as easy as it looks
There are all sorts of considerations that go into creating great content; using a style that portrays the image you want, generating a ‘readability’ level that matches what your audience is looking for, and so on and so on. It’s exactly the same when it comes to branding. It’s not quite as simple as it looks.
Our designers really do know everything there is to know about small business branding. We asked our talented graphics team for some branding tips, and how they create logos that truly deliver. This is what they told us:
Advice from the professionals
Branding tip 1: Be specific
The London 2012 Olympic Games: an absolute triumph, in all aspects except one. What a logo that was! Not only was it obviously terrible at first glance, but it also suggested a variety of obscene interpretations. But guess what – it didn’t matter. Why? Because the logo was so abysmally ghastly that it was instantly recognisable; it was unique to London 2012. For small businesses especially, who don’t have the brand awareness that larger organisations have, a distinct, explicit logo is an absolute necessity.
Branding tip 2: Prioritise typography
Our graphics team agree that one of the most overlooked aspects in small business branding is typography, as much of the focus is on the graphical design. However, typography plays a massive role in ensuring that you’re delivering the message you want to your audience. A children’s play centre advertising themselves using Times New Roman? Yawn. A death metal band using a balloon font? Well, yes, actually. The NHS using Bubblegum?
“The bad news? You need multiple enemas, immediately. The good news? Our enema information leaflet uses a super fun font!”
Branding tip 3: Be colourful… or not
Deciding on the colour scheme for your small business is probably easier said than done. After all, it’s important to find a colour scheme/theme that makes your brand instantly recognisable as operating within a certain industry (green for the recycling industry, for example). At the same time, it’s essential you don’t choose colours that could end up getting you confused with a competitor. There’s definitely a fine line to walk here.
Branding tip 4: Ask yourself ‘why?’
Have you ever sat down and asked yourself why you’re trying to create a logo? It’s not meant to be a stumper. Instead, this question is designed to help you create the sort of branding that’s really going to work for you. Are you planning outdoor advertisements? You’ll want something big and clear that stands out instantly. Are you planning something to be used more for business cards and stationery? Make sure your logo can be scaled so that it doesn’t lose its meaning. Having a branding plan is a really good idea.
Ultimately, our designers say that it’s easy to see why so many small businesses come to us for their branding, rather than trying to do it themselves. Pictures and words… they look so simple, but they’re more hassle than they seem. If you can’t afford to get it wrong, don’t worry – we’re here to help.
(Image Source: Flickr)
