Being a business owner can mean a lot of things. It can mean they plan their own time, have the joy of doing something they love everyday, and it could even mean financial freedom.
What it also takes is extreme dedication, commitment, and motivation to keep going, whether that’s late nights, stressful days or even working weekends.Â
One thing that rings true in all these scenarios, is that business owners really do live and breathe their businesses. Whether it’s through being surrounded by marketing collateral, constantly engaging with prospects as the face of the business, or writing proposals, it can be easy for a business voice and personal voice to constantly overlap.
Despite this, new businesses all too often hire freelancers or agencies to develop their brand, and keep themselves far away from this area of business. Even when business owners are not graphic designers or brand specialists, being involved is essential to brand success. People trust John Lewis because they know they can rely on their family feeling. They’ll always come back with a heartfelt Christmas advert, and act as a one stop shop for all things home and family. This is embodied in every aspect of their company, and no matter what size the organisation, a brand must always reflect its people. Ellen Steel, the social media manager and founder of Just Leap Digital explains how to make sure a brand reflects its owner.
Consider how they want to come across
It may sound like an obvious one, but when dealing with clients everyday, how do they want that to sound? Do they enjoy finding out about people on a personal level? Or perhaps they prefer keeping things extremely formal? The best way to ensure they maintain their brand’s tone of voice is to choose one they actually enjoy using.
Think about what colours they actually like
Branding isn’t all about colour, but it’s a big part! They’ll be surrounded by these colours constantly, from their website, to flyers, to business cards, to social media posts. That’s not to say they have to choose their favourite bright yellow if that doesn’t feel aligned with their brand, but if they despise all things grey then why force them to face it each and every morning?
Decide what they want people to feel about their brand?
Some logos really provide little inspiration, but others definitely have something about them that can make people feel all warm and positive inside. Business owners should consider how brands make them feel? Even better, they should think about how their brand makes them feel. Once they know that, they can decide whether the brand they’ve created truly reflects their initial intentions. It’s okay to revise things as time goes on, and if a company, or the person/ people behind it, have changed, it’s okay for the branding to as well.
Assess how other businesses use their brand
Logos and colour schemes are a big part, but a brand identity is made up of everything people see, think and feel about the company. For a brand to reflect the people, it needs to be a part of everything that they do. Invoices, proposals, presentations, and anything else they use on a regular basis should all fit seamlessly into their brand guidelines. A barely discoverable logo will not suggest there’s a very present and proactive individual working behind the scenes.
Finally, but by no means least, allow for growth in the branding
Business owners rarely start out thinking they’ll offer one service, or one product forever. Although it’s a great place to begin, entrepreneurs tend to be motivated and aspirational people, so if the brand is stuck in the past it may be time to take a step back and review what could be changed. It is perfectly reasonable to adjust the branding to reflect the new state of the business, but this time try to make sure it allows for growth, so the whole rebranding process doesn’t have to start again!
A brand is a business, but behind that are real people. Putting them at the centre not only improves their relationship with the company, but also gives it a people feel that prospects will recognise and be drawn to.
