Brand, Branding…it’s all just my logo isn’t it?

No, brand and branding are different and neither are just defined by your logo!

What’s Brand?

This is your audiences perception of your company.  

Your brand is made up of:

• Your business story – why you started and the purpose of your product/service.
• Your business vision – your core values, your driving force.  Would you do what you do even if you made no money?
• Your business action – how are you going to achieve your vision.  Do you stand by your core values and do what you say you’re going to do? Do you put your customer first and sell with integrity?

Your brand is what you are selling and promising your customers.  

What’s Branding?

This is your visual identity and what you put out into the world.  Your tone of voice, your message, which is driven by your ‘Brand.’  Your branding is what you want to be instantly recognised as you:

• Logo
• Tone of Voice
• Typography
• Visual Style, Images and Graphics
• Website
• Marketing/Promotional/Packaging Materials
• Colour Palette (create a mood board)

Your visual identity will evolve and change but your core values will remain the same.

Is Branding Important?

Yes, absolutely. It’s how your customers react when your company name is mentioned.  It’s the overall impact your company makes, increases brand awareness and can drive new customers.

Genie Top Tips

• Get a good logo.  It doesn’t have to be fancy schmancy just understandable and do consider colour and font.
• Find your voice. This voice will be across all your communications from your website to your social media content so make sure it reflects your values.  Are you controversial, or formal, laid back or a little cheeky!  As a small business owner you’ll be creating most of the communications so it makes sense to inject your own personality into it.
• Get noticed.  Use the same colour scheme, typography, logos across your marketing materials. You can put all this information on a mood board to make life easier.
• Be consistent.  Keep to your branding across all of your platforms.  Use a mood board to help with the consistency.
• Stay true.  Stick to your values, customers won’t stay or refer you if you don’t deliver what you promise.