I was recently asked, “What is your best tip for branding a business?”

And you may be surprised that my answer was not “hire a designer to create an amazing logo” or wasn’t really design related at all…

Here’s what I said:

My best tip for branding a business is to first know your target audience. Your target audience is your ideal customers and clients which is who is going to buy your products and services. Your branding needs to speak to THEM. You should put personal preferences aside and always put the people most likely to be interested in your product or service first.

Part of my job as a designer is to help clients achieve clarity about their brand identity. This means asking lots of questions before any designing actually begins. Before jumping right into a logo design, you need to have a clear vision for your brand.

The thought of having a new logo design and brand identity can be so exciting that many people want to skip right past the discovery phase. However, the knowledge gained in this phase determines everything that follows.

You may have an excellent concept in mind, but until you have a deeper understanding of why your business exists, who you are trying to reach, and what those people are like, it will be difficult for your designer to create a brand identity that accurately represents that.

If you’ve been thinking about a rebrand or hiring a designer for your social media or marketing needs, I’d love to walk you through the process, just reach out.

Still not sure if you are ready? A strategy session is a great place to start. Sometimes you just need to talk it out!

Looking for more posts about starting your brand? Check out:

The Importance of Defining Your Brand Personality

15 Questions to Answer Before Designing Your Logo