When most people think of branding, they usually think of major corporations like McDonalds, or perhaps they think of the products on their grocery store shelves. No matter how you think of branding, branding is critical to every business in every marketplace. It is what keeps clients coming back and helps build potential clients faith in your business.
So what is branding and how can your business make the most of it?
Branding is the art of ensuring a company or product presents a unified face to the public, ensuring that the world sees the image that the company wants to portray.
ThinkPlay Toys (www.thinkplay.ca) has created a unified brand for their new toy store by ensuring their corporate identitytheir logo, letterhead, envelopes, etc.will match by using the same colors, fonts and styles. In addition, ThinkPlay has made sure that their store signage uses the same very specific colors, that their website uses both their logo and complimentary colors, and that their staff members have T-shirts which proudly identify ThinkPlay with a large, colourful logo.
By making consistent use of their identity items, ThinkPlay has ensured that prospective customers and their existing clientele easily identify them as a professional business.
So what can your small business do to help brand your business?
* Remain consistent; your logo should look the same in all situations.
* Keep an eye on colors and use the best color combination for the application.
* Present your company name consistently, be aware of capitalization and prefixes to your name.
* Print your branding on packages, shirts and posters throughout your business.
Remember, your brand is your business. It is what separates you from everyone else. Treat it with respect, promote it to the public, and build a brand that others learn to associate with your company.
Christopher Ross is a marketing consultant with Getaway Graphics, a full service marketing design firm located in Fredericton New Brunswick. If you would like permission to reprint this article in your publication or on your web site, please contact us.
