So, you have a business idea and don’t know where to begin? Look no further. Branding is an integral part of any business’s growth. It can be overwhelming to think about all the steps you have to take to create a successful business brand. 

A brand is more than just a name and logo. Having a consistent color scheme, tagline, font, etc. is what makes your brand stand out against your competitors. For example, when you think of the colors red and yellow and an M shaped like two arches, you think of Mcdonald’s! 

Now that we’ve established a bit more about branding, here’s a breakdown of what you should accomplish to complete your brand.

 

1. RESEARCH

Researching your target audience is an important step. First, begin with finding out your target audience, who your competitors are, and what you can do to stand out. The number one way to do this is by using Google. Search for the product or service you are trying to sell. This should give you some insight into how many other companies are out there you are competing with and who is buying them. Even asking around for more information or checking out competitor or customer social media accounts can be helpful.

While researching, take note of  the following:

  • Who is the target audience
  • Who are the top competitors 
  • What can you do to stand out with the product or service you are selling

 

2. NAMING

Naming your business is one of the most important parts of branding. Although there is so much more to branding as a whole, a company name can be how you are recognized in the future. It can also be difficult to choose.

Some helpful tips:

  • Use a company name generator for ideas
  • Make a list of words associated with the product or service you are selling
  • Ask some friends and family for their input

You can be obvious with your name, like “The Candle Company”, create a word like “Google”, or create an acronym if you want a longer name, “AT&T – American Telephone and Telegraph Company.

 

3. BRAND BOARD 

Creating a brand board is a useful tool for creating any up-and-coming business. Canva is a great website for this, but you can also do it in a Google document or any word processing software. 

branding board example with three neutral colors

This is an example of a finished brand board. It includes:

  • Different logos you may use
  • Two font types

            • One for the logo/header

• Another for paragraphs/tagline

  • Colors that will be used
  • Images that represent the feeling of the brand and its colors

Any of these things can be changed on your board. Instead of 2 fonts, you could have 3. You could also add or subtract colors or narrow it down to one logo. 

A logo is also necessary for starting a business. It is a visual representation of your company. This can be another difficult part if you’re not very artistic. There are companies out there, such as our affiliate MikeADV, that can help you create your logo.

 

4. APPLYING THE BRANDING

Once you have everything above figured out applying your brand across all of your social media platforms is important. Using the same logo, font, colors etc. from the brand board is a must.

Here’s where to apply them:

  • Social media sites, such as Instagram, Facebook, etc.
  • On your business cards
  • Thank you notes for customers 
  • Any flyers or brochures that are made for your business
  • Your website
  • Video production

 

CONCLUSION 

These are some helpful tips for starting and branding your business, but that doesn’t mean you’re finished. Being consistent is what your business needs. Across social media, the way your speak with customers, and the packaging of your products all need to remain the same to grow your brand. This will establish who your company is and will create recognition for your customers or potential customers in the future.