Your brand is definitely more than a logo. Your brand ultimately could be the complete perception that customers have of your business. For solo entrepreneurs, this means that you establish effective branding creates trust in your consume. If you do that, then you may be able to command higher prices. Further, you want a brand that sets you apart from the already crowded markets. Here is and quick and essential list of how to build a strong foundational brand without overwhelming yourself or outpacing your budget.
You Should Start with Your Brand Name
Choose a name that is memorable. It should be easy to spell. It should also be available as a domain name. Here’s a test you can use: three filters if you will, 1) Is the brand name clear enough that people will understand right away what you do? 2) Is this unique enough to stand out from the crowd? And, 3) Can you say your proposed business name on a phone call without spelling it out to the other person who is on the other line? If it passes these initial filters, then it has promise. You can move forward, but there is still more to do.
Quick tip: You should avoid any overly clever names that require any explanation whatsoever. For example, “Swift Books Accounting” easilly beats “Numerati Solutions,” every single time. As you move forward with an initial name idea, then check its availability on your state’s business registry. This is usually on your state’s Secretary of State website. Then, check the US federal USPTO trademark database. If you’re still good, then you should start checking with domain name registrars before you fall in love with any name to begin with.
Definitely Define Your Brand Positioning
Once you have a name and before touching any design tools, answer this critical question: What makes you different, and why should customers care? We are generating your positioning statement. Your positioning statement could follow this template, for instance: “For [your target customer] who [needs or wants], [your brand] that provides [some unique value or values] unlike [any of its competitors].”
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This positioning ultimately could drive every decision from your website copy to your email signature.
Then, Create Your Visual Identity – The Basics
You could start simple with these three basic elements:
Your Color Palette: Choose 2-3 colors maximum. One primary color for its impact, one neutral for some balance, and another color for accent and contrast. You can use free tools available on the Internet like Coolors.co. There, you can generate professional looking color palettes right away.
Choose Your 2 Fonts – Typography: Select one font for headlines and another for your posts’ body text. Google Fonts offers hundreds of free, professional optional Fonts. Here, with this decsions I think its best to stick with some of the classic and more readable choices. Put the others off for now. Save those fancy scripts for your future wedding invitations.
Your Logo: Here, a clean text-based logo works perfectly for most solo businesses. I have Canva and a lot of people do also. Canva’s free version includes excellent templates. After you get going and generating some modest revenue, then Invest in professional design only after you have definitively validated your business’s revenue model.
Consistency Will Create Your Recognition
Apply your brand elements everywhere: every email signature, all of your social media profiles consistently, on your invoices, and especially on your proposals. You might want to quickly create a simple one-page brand guide documenting your colors (with the color hex codes), your 2 chosen fonts, and any basic usage or guideline rules that you have to start out with.
The Bottom Line
Strong branding is about clarity and consistency, in my opinion. Do not worry or concern yourself with perfection because too many would be entrepreneurs are stopped by this. Start with these fundamentals. You should stay consistent across all of your public touchpoints. Learn to refine as you go. Learn more about your customers. Then, your brand will likely evolve as your business grows, but these foundations will help you to ensure you to start professionally from the very first day going forward.
If you feel that you need help and guidance or you just need help because you are a busy entrepreneur, then feel free to reach out to our team at NewBusiness.net.
