How to instantly elevate the brand for your small business
Sometimes, you just need to mix things up a bit. Maybe you’ve been plagued with a niggling doubt that something’s not right with the way you’re presenting your business - perhaps enquiries have dropped off, maybe you’re finding it harder to get people across the line, or it could be that you just know your message is lacking… something.
When time is in short supply, you could benefit from a quick revamp and breath of fresh air to help you promote your business more effectively whilst you save the pennies to invest in expert help. And there are some really simple things you can do with your brand to instantly elevate it and create more impact…
1/ Pay close attention to your photography
Photography has the power to make or break a brand. It doesn’t matter whether you use stock photography or have hired a photographer for a brand photoshoot; the most important thing is that the images create the right mood and that together, form a cohesive collection. I’ll let you into a secret: the images on our website are a blend of our own photography taken by Derek and I, images that the wonderful Maria Assia took for us, and stock photography from Unsplash. You’ll notice that the mood remains the same throughout - no image sticks out or jars, and that’s the key.
Cast an eye over the images which you currently use to represent your business. Do they all feel the same? Do they tell the same story? A ruthless edit can pay dividends in creating the right impression!
2/ Typography is everything
Messy typography will immediately make your brand look amateurish, even if it’s been designed professionally. Fonts should be used consistently and with a clear hierarchy to give structure and form, whilst also offering a visual signpost to your reader. There’s an excellent article here about hierarchy.
3/ Have a clear and confident message
A wishy washy message is the fastest way to kill confidence and undermine what you’re great at. Be bold enough to really own your message, through every single channel of communication that you employ. As soon as we staked our claim as a branding agency specialising in small business branding, the flavour of enquiries we attracted completely changed for the better.
4/ Use language thoughtfully
I’m starting to realise that I’m more of a wordsmith than I give myself credit for, and have an inherent ability to sniff out the right tone of voice for any given brand. You really need to focus on the kind of feeling that you’re aiming to create, and write with that in mind. Is your message whimsical and nostalgic? Punchy and upbeat? Formal, or conversational? If I had to give you one tip for writing effective copy for your business, it’s this: imagine you’re speaking to your ideal client. How would you phrase your message to ensure your brand sounded irresistible? What kind of words would you use? A re-swizz of your website copy can do wonders for the perception you create when people land on it.
5/ Be generous with space
Whether you’re designing a web page or a sales brochure, allow plenty of room for your message to breathe. Too much text on a page fatigues your reader; using space invites your reader to slow down and really read your message. This one requires confidence, but is so worth it.
If your brand needs more than a few DIY tricks, we are now inviting bookings for August onward and would be delighted to hear from you!
