Need branding, but you’re just starting out?
When you start a business there is so much to do and you are learning on a daily basis. I remember it as building the plane and learning how to fly all at once. It gets easier, don't worry. One thing that people think they need right away is branding and a logo to make them feel legit. I'm here to tell you that you don't need a logo to be legit, but you do need other things to get you there. So, let's jump in.
You started an awesome business and everyone is telling you need branding and a logo.. and you don't even know what all that entails. Let's break it down.
Branding
This is essentially a feeling you give your clients. You cannot tell them the feeling but you can influence it through your visuals, your messaging, your tone of voice, how you show up on social media, the services/products your offer, your customer journey, etc. Branding is big!
Your logo
I see this over and over again in Facebook groups telling new business owners to invest in branding and getting their logo and all the things that will make you feel more legit.
But let me tell you, having a logo and a color palette isn't going to solve your problems. You need to figure out your business.
Now, brand strategy is a whole other animal. Brand strategy helps you pinpoint potential pitfalls, analyze your competition, figure out how you are going to stand apart from them, it essentially figures out what your secret sauce is to help you stand out from your competition and attract your ideal clients easily. If you have some money to invest in your business at first I always recommend starting with Brand Strategy and then let the other items build out as you bring in more money.
But what happens when you are short on cash?
Don't spend it on getting a logo done without getting the strategy done.
Why? Because in a few years you will need to get the strategy done and you will probably have gone through 2-3 logo iterations and will be breaking the trust with you and your client or potential clients.
If you are building your business and bootstrapping this thing. (AKA short on cash)
Type out your name in a font that will speak to your ideal clients.
Pick out 3-5 colors to help you build some consistency
Make a one-page Squarespace website that has your contact info.
Build out your marketing funnels
Figure out your services
Figure out your pricing
Get a mentor
Now, if you are building a business that already has some cash flow in it, but not a ton and you have almost everything above figured out.
Invest in brand strategy
Why is a branding designer telling you to not invest in your branding from the get-go? Because you need to make money first. A logo will not make you money. Figuring out your services, your processes, your ideal client, getting your sales funnels down, building your network, those are the things that will bring you cash.
If you have any questions, drop them in the comments.
xo naoma
