Small Business Identity – Brand vs Business Card
Small business owners have come to me thinking that they simply want to get a new and updated business card and it ends up being a completely different process turning into a ‘Branding or identity’ process.
Sometimes needing a business card isn’t just needing a business card! Many small businesses skip the logo or branding process and think that all they need is just a eye-catching business card and it will be enough. You can do it this way, however you may find the message you are trying to portray regarding your small business has now become fragmented and incoherent without a strong identity. This is definitely NOT the message you want to give future customers as it lacks confidence and legitimacy.
This is an important step to think about. Do you want your look to be cohesive and memorable to your customers? If so, think about your logo, the fonts you like, colours that reflect the personality of your business and then look at creating your small business identity. This can save you frustration, time and money by building a base for all to come such as business cards, website, invoices, letterhead, and other marketing material. Once you have identified and created your business distinctiveness, you then become confident with how your business is being presented to your future and existing customers and just as important…to your competitors.
Before jumping into just doing some new business cards, reflect on your brand and see if you are assured with your visual identity, including your logo as this is how a consumer’s first encounter with your business will be and does it create the right impression?
Consistency builds brands, so every encounter with your brand — whether with your staff, product, website, marketing communications, news coverage, social media, or other any other form of brand encounter or experience — must consistently convey your brand promise and contribute to your desired brand identity. – Branding for Dummines Cheat Sheet by Bill Chiaravalle
For more information on branding, please check out this article Branding for Dummies Cheat Sheet by Bill Chiaravalle. A great guide if you are thinking about updating your current look or if you are starting new.