I wanna share a quick thought about entrepreneurship and branding (this can also apply to personal branding that’s not business related). and the reason why I want to start here is because I feel like I sit at a unique sort of intersection between the two. that’s because I am a graphic designer so I think a lot about branding for other people but I’m also an entrepreneur so i think a lot about branding for myself as well.
I have spent a lot of time in entrepreneurial spaces in the last couple months and it’s always interesting when I hear people talk about branding cuz it a lot of times it’s like a sort of cautionary. Like don’t get caught up on your brand, meaning don’t spend too much time thinking about your logo and colors and that kind of stuff — instead, think about the core function of your business.
And generally, that’s great advice and I don’t think any of those people who say those other things would say that it’s not important but I think that there is however something very very critical about getting this stuff right and the more you can get it right from the beginning, the better off you’ll be.
So I have three quick thoughts to get you started down this road if you’re at the beginning:
Don’t base your branding SOLELY on your favorites.
It is a place to start to be sure. Cause it will be with you and you’ll have to work with it so feeling connected to it is right and necessary. But I would encourage you to consider the ENERGY that you want to radiate from your brand and align your styling, your colors, your font choices with that. If you wanna hang onto your favorites, think about tones and shades and variations so you can use your favorites without forcing your brand to adapt to just what you like.
Keep it simple.
Making something more complicated and intricate and layered doesn’t make it more effective. You want people to understand the brand and intent behind it as quickly as possible and your logo and font and colors will send those messages ahead of you before you get to have that initial meeting or send that first email. A simple logo can do the trick as well or better than one that’s intricate and perhaps harder to understand or engage with.
Get another set of eyes on it.
You know how sometimes you get dressed and think you’re super cute but someone who REALLY loves you will tell you that — that shirt isn’t your best look. Or those leggings are old and should be retired. We can’t always see clearly how something will land with others so ALWAYS get someone you trust to look at your brand before you go live with it. You won’t always agree or make a change but more perspectives make for a more well considered visual and that’s critical when you are looking to appeal a broad audience.
So for me, it’s been easy — being a designer, branding a design and communications company. But hiring a graphic designer to create your branding for you isn’t easy for everyone. For a lot of folks, having to come out of pocket when you’re first starting out just isn’t possible so even if you CAN’T hire a designer to create for you, consider these tips.
And I also want to share that I have a new service that can support you in this process for a much lower up front investment. I’m offering a 2 hour brand audit where you’ll share your brand or your thoughts in advance and we’ll get on the phone and I’ll share thoughts on how to tighten and refine your visuals and you will walk away with a customized roadmap of suggestions. You can get into the brain and computer of a designer for only $197. Check it out on the Work With Me page.
Happy Branding!