The Basics of Branding

Branding is one of the most important aspects of any business, large or small, retail or B2B. An effective brand strategy gives you a major edge in increasingly competitive markets. But what exactly does "branding" mean? How does it affect a small business like yours?

Simply put, your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates your offering from your competitors'. Your brand is derived from who you are, who you want to be and who people perceive you to be.

Are you the innovative maverick in your industry? Or the experienced, reliable one? Is your product the high-cost, high-quality option, or the low-cost, high-value option? You can't be both, and you can't be all things to all people. Who you are should be based to some extent on who your target customers want and need you to be.

The foundation of your brand is your logo. Your website, packaging and promotional materials--all of which should integrate your logo--communicate your brand.

Ten ways to build a brand for your small business

Branding is just as important for small businesses as it is for big names. Indeed, many corporate brands try to look more like small firms in order to appeal to consumers that prefer to support independent brands. 

Principles Of Design And How To Use Them

Graphic design, like most skills comes with its own language and vocabulary. The principles of graphic design are used to describe broad concepts in the world and graphic design. By having a general standard for graphic design foundations, we can cut down on confusion and create designs that translate the message that we’re hoping to convey. By using specific terms to describe different parts of a design we can improve not only the communication between the designer and the viewer, but we can improve the communication from designer to designer. Remember, there are many forms of graphic design, and it is important to have certain things that translate from genre to genre without creating a situation that is prime for misunderstanding.