Establish your business' identity
Your business's identity is essentially how you present yourself
to customers and clients. It's the vision you have for your
business, its essence. It's also the beginning of your
business's brand. And it shows itself through everything
from your attitude to your logo. This guide looks at:
- Building an identity
- Choosing a name
- Creating your logo and design
1) Building an identity
It's essential that your identity is focused on and true to your
original vision and USPs for your business. Refer to these
constantly to check that you're not straying from your vision and
losing the integrity of your brand. Keep your identity
consistent for all aspects of the business. Innocent, the
all-natural smoothie company, have carried their fun, natural
identity through to vans covered in grass or decorated like cows -
and a banana phone for consumers to call in on.
- Stay true to your vision and USPs
- Keep your identity consistent
2) Choosing a name
The right name will embody and suggest your business's
identity. You can instantly guess at the quality and price of
a hair salon from their name, for example - compare Charles
Worthington with Hairway to Heaven or Nice Kutz. Look at
similar businesses in your sector and price range to get a feel of
what tone to take. Punning names are usually
downmarket. Names referring to your business's location might
build regional affinity, but could limit you if you want to expand
to new areas. Look into suitable domains for your business
name, as you'll almost certainly get a website at some point.
Brainstorming and market research will help loads. Avoid
sensitive words like 'Royal' and 'Institute'.
- A good name will embody your businesses identity
- Mind things like puns and regional references, which can appeal
to different audiences
- Brainstorm and do market research
- Avoid sensitive words
3) Creating your logo and design
A good logo works on a postage stamp and a billboard. It
looks great online and offline. It's memorable and has broad
appeal - it suits as many of your customers' tastes as possible,
not just your own. Designers work best with very
detailed design briefs. See several options before
deciding. If you're low on cash, try www.logosauce.com for
cost-friendly access to new designers who compete to create your
logo.
- Think of all the different places and sizes your logo needs to
work on and in
- Aim for broad appeal
- If you use a designer, give them a detailed brief
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