Advertising, Marketing & PR

Creating and Using a Brand

If you think a brand is only for big companies, think again. Creating a brand just means developing a style that is a) instantly recognisable as you and b) gets across your key qualities in a way that appeals to your key customers. Using a brand just means being consistent across all your communications and adverts - using the same colours, fonts, logo (if you have one) and messages.

Developing a style

Reviewing your business analysis - especially the 'How does it feel' column - and your key customers gives you a great starting point for what your style should be. If you get mostly older, more traditional customers, and it feels peaceful, relaxed and comfortable, for example, then you'll want darker, calmer colours, fonts with a serif like Times New Roman or Garamond and more formal language. If you get young families on a budget you'll want brighter, cheerful colours, accessible, easy to read materials, probably in a sans-serif font like Arial or Verdana, lots of 'happy family' imagery and, if you're wise, perhaps passing references to what there might be in it for Mum and Dad especially, as well as for the young children.

As well as colours, fonts and a logo or other 'device' consider a strapline. A strapline is a little piece of text that encapsulates what you do in a few words, that you include with your business name whenever appropriate, eg at the bottom of emails, on advertisements etc. For example: Rowena's Café - a slice of North East life, Bell Tower Bed and Breakfast - wake up to a warm welcome, North Coast Hiking Safaris - walk on the wild side etc.

Use a designer

Choosing colours, fonts and logos isn't easy unless you have creative flair. Shape and colour affect us at a subconscious level as well as more directly. You can design your own logos, letterheads and even leaflets, but this isn't advisable unless you really know what you're doing - the result almost always looks amateurish and that definitely isn't the image a quality business wants to convey.

Lots of businesses don't entertain the idea of using a designer because they think it will be expensive but in reality, getting a font, colours and a logo can cost just £100 - £200, and having them made up into business cards and letterheads may be a further £100. There are lots of small, talented designers who can help you create a professional look and feel on a budget. And once you've got your basic designs laid down, you can build on these in any future website, leaflet or brochure - you don't have to do it all in one go.

Talk them through your product analysis and your key customers and, if possible, get them to visit your business. If they can't come to you, go to them and take along any existing literature, photographs and customer testimonials so they can really get 'under the skin' of what you do.

Using your brand

Once you've got colours, fonts and a logo or device then use them consistently across everything you do. Make sure when you send out letters or emails they are in 'your' font and include your logo, device or designed business name (you can add an automatic signature to do this on emails). Make sure your website reflects the colours, font and style of your design, and that any literature, brochures, price lists, menus etc do the same. If you have any business clothing, have them made up in your colours with your logo on it. And include your device on any consumables, give-aways or purchasable souvenirs - like serviettes, soap dispensers, postcards, pens, key rings etc. And make sure you add your designed business name and logo to even the smallest.

Reliably using your designs across everything you do gives a polished, professional feel and helps customers instantly identify - and remember - you.

Suggested next step in this section:

• Different ways to advertise