Happy 20th month of quarantine! Or so it feels like it. I commend so many of us for being troopers during this time. It is has been hard to watch our business plans and maybe even bottom-lines go by the waist side. Maybe you’ve been laid-off and have had to wait long days just get your unemployment check. Unless of course you’ve still been able to prosper and keep your job during this time. I also want to commemorate that it was one year ago this month that I wrote my first ever blog post here! Whatever the case is, if you have a side hustle, or a business, your brand is crucial to your success.
Do you have a brand? Looking at establishing a name for yourself? The reality is that this is a good time to do so. If you have a brand and are looking to revamp it, now is the time for serious consideration of that matter. What on earth could possibly make this a good time to establish or upgrade a brand? Below are a few initial thoughts you might have that would suggest me being crazy, followed by my answers to them.
Some of the most iconic brands of the past 60 years
1) “Joe I don’t have money right now for that!” Right. You may not have the money to break the bank at the highest-rated design firm. But the first step in establishing a marketable brand for yourself involves an excellent logo design. Your logo represents the graphic face and visual impression for your business/organization. Having a good design doesn’t have to cost you thousands of dollars if you're a small business. It can a small investment under $600 that you can’t afford to not make.
*My own rates are very competitive compared to average marketing firm costs specifically catered to the people most affected by the economic turndown of the coronavirus crisis
2) “Why does it matter if I have a good logo or not?” Simple. First impressions matter and bad branding can turn away potential business. A logo is the first necessary step in visual representation for the brand your seek to create. Do you want to get your business to the place where the brand sells the products just as much or even more than the product itself? (ex: Apple, and this is coming from someone who loves Apple products). Of course, you want to! People are going to want to go with a brand that isn’t about sales when the economy begins to rise again. They’re going to want to go with a brand that also looks good and conveys maximum value. Here’s a good resource on why it’s important for small businesses to have a strong brand from Deluxe.
3) “Joe, I can’t even wrap my head around this!” Ok. Pardon my forwardness, but that’s probably because you’re watching the news too much whether it be on your phone or tv. Take just as little as 20 minutes, clear your head, and just ask yourself the question, “Do I want to get ahead when my customers are ready to go full-board with their spending?”. If the answer is yes, then take a look at your current branding and where you are as a business. I know it can be hard to take a real assessment because of the Coronavirus crisis, but even before it occurred. Were you really particularly satisfied with where your business was before all this happened? Is it really communicating the kind of message you want your clients to receive? Honest and objective questions lead to better results for you and your business.
If you have a well-established brand, that is great! Let it continue to help generate revenue for you. But if you’re looking at your logo and are not entirely satisfied with it, now is the time to start contemplating what you really want it to say. Imagine when the economy opens up again, and you’re able to begin selling your services or products with a brand new, stylish logo that even further hypes up the rebound of your business. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, getting a graphic communication set that adds to your business presentation is NOT just another expense, it’s an INVESTMENT. Your brand is worth it. Give it a “glow up”.