So you’ve got a great business idea and are ready to get started!
Or perhaps you’ve already begun to build your brand but believe it could be improved? I understand… and we’re here to help you navigate the process of creating an amazing and professional brand while avoiding some of these common branding blunders.
To be honest, there are a few key factors that can make or break a brand.
When starting a new business, it is critical to present a professional image. Because, if you don’t appear professional, who will take you seriously?
Having a professional brand ensures that you are attracting the right client. You want the client to respect you and see you as a capable and professional business owner who is an expert in whatever service you are providing.
Even if there are a few issues under the hood, you began this journey because of your expertise, and you are an expert in what you do. What matters now that you present it in a way that resonates with your audience.
As the saying goes, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression,” and as I previously stated, the average joe only takes between 5 to 12 seconds to make their mind up about your brand.
Why is Your Brand so Important?
This is especially true in today’s world of online and even print advertising; consider your commute to work; how many advertisements can you recall? The truth is that you only have a split second to capture your buyer’s attention. So, if you don’t do it from the start, customers will just pass you by.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a service provider, have an online store, or are a blogger; if your brand is inconsistent, it will make it more difficult to thrive.
If they don’t see anything that piques their interest, they will scroll right past you.
So, how can you ensure that your brand always appears professional?
1. Images and graphics of poor quality
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been sent images that are teeny tiny and asked to put them on an outdoor banner, and then clients can’t understand why oh why they are pixelated on the final artwork. It’s like putting a jumper for a five year old on a rugby player! It won’t fit!
This is your opportunity to shine, so showcase everything your brand has to offer! There is simply no excuse for poor image quality. I can’t tell you how many times my sister, who is a social media designer, ventured about it at the end of the day!
Blurry, pixelated images and/or your logo at low resolution simply will not do and scream unprofessional!
If your images are of poor quality, it gives the impression that you are uninterested in resolving the problem. This is a terrible message to send to potential clients.
Low-quality images can also convey a sense of cheapness or do-it-yourself within your brand.
I completely understand that you may not have a large budget when starting out, which is why we have created industry branded templates to get you started, so please, no more pixelated images!
2. Excessive Use of Font Varieties
This has nothing to do with your logo. This applies to all branding materials as well as your website. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen this.
I challenge you to count how many different fonts you see on someone’s website the next time you visit it.
When there are too many, the effect is chaotic. It is critical to fine-tune your fonts.
Choose two to three fonts that represent your brand and use them consistently. It may appear to be just a font, but trust me when I say that it will make a significant difference in the overall professionalism of your brand.
3. Lack of Brand Consistency
Essentially, this means that your brand is instantly recognisable regardless of the platform on which it is seen. The same colours, logo, fonts, and so on are always used.
This is one I see a lot: I’ll look at someone’s website and then their Facebook Business page, and it appears to be two separate businesses.
That is extremely confusing to a potential client or buyer, and as the old adage goes, “a confused buyer is a non-buyer.”
There should be no reason for a person to wonder if they are still looking at the same business when moving from one platform or marketing material to another.
It may be time to conduct a self-audit to ensure that you are consistent across all platforms!
4. Why your design needs space
Have you ever arrived at a website and felt completely overwhelmed? It’s crammed with text, and there’s no place for your eyes to rest. That is the result of a lack of white space or breathing space.
It’s one of my pet peeves because most people believe that if there’s a space, it SHOULD BE FILLED! Well, space is there for a reason; it’s there to guide your eyes around the page and give you time to think about what’s on that page.
Give your content the space it deserves!
You don’t want your brand to be associated with chaos or mess if your website or social media posts are clogged.
It is critical to design a clean and well-organized layout so that your viewers are not overburdened.
Don’t be afraid of breathing space; it possesses tremendous power!
Unlock The Power Of Stunning Branding 'In One Day!
Unlock The Power Of Stunning Branding ‘In One Day!
5. You haven't defined your Audience
So important, that you know the who and the why, otherwise ] how do you hope to attract them?
Have you taken the time to narrow down your target audience in order to ensure that your branding is attracting the right people?
I understand that you want your branding to represent you as an entrepreneur, but it’s actually more important that it appeals to your target market.
What suits your personality may not be the best fit for the people you’re trying to attract, which can have a significant impact on your business.
You will have full access to our “Brand Guide Workbook” inside the Bespoke Logo Package which will force you to dig deep to ensure you are on the right track to growing your business with the right people.
Over to you!
So, now that you know how to avoid these business branding blunders, it’s time to get started!
