You’ve started your new business and you are thinking about a logo, a website, and maybe packaging (labeling) if you are selling a product. Sometimes not all of these things get done, or they get done as quickly as possible to get them out of the way.
If you want to stand out you need to pay a lot of attention to the face of your business by branding. Branding gives you a unique identity; in fact, a personality. When you brand your business or products, they have identifiable attributes – specific colors, fonts, graphic design features, styling, catch phrases, etc. People will recognize you by your brand, not just the products or services you sell. You will become more memorable. We are all familiar with the Apple logo found on all of Apple’s products. But Apple hardware, software, their website and their physical stores all have the same sleek, streamlined look, which is in keeping with their branding.
It takes a lot of thought to come up with an identity that represents your business and doesn’t look like something that already exists. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on this if you put your creative mind to work and keep things simple.
For my business, Artisan’s Palate, I looked at what certain colors invoke subconsciously, and chose orange and green since they match what my business is about. I also drew inspiration from the newer, modern design paradigms that are showing up in marketing and website design, namely square and rectangular segmented tiles. To get an idea of Artisan’s Palate’s identity, visit www.artisanspalate.com. Then come to the store and you will see the same design patterns there.
Be careful not to encroach on another company’s brand. Most companies will copyright or trademark names, expressions, logos and graphics. So be as unique as possible. Once you have decided on a basic “look and feel” for your branding, carry this through everywhere – your website, business cards, product design, advertisements, and store design if you have a physical location. Your business will make an impression!
Pia Maffei has been an entrepreneur for 25 years in the technology field. Her next venture is Artisan’s Palate, a retail shop that features pre-packaged food items from predominantly local artisans within a 100 mile radius. Artisan’s Palate will soon be open in Temecula, visit www.artisanspalate.com, and www.facebook.com/artisanspalate to learn more.