How To Amplify The Personality Of Your Business: Branding Tips

Let’s play a game. Pick the next stranger you see, and guess something about their life based on what they’re wearing. Some people may call this activity “judging a book by its cover,” but I like to think of it as “judging a book by its cover… for educational purposes.” Take your time, I can wait…

What did you see?

Perhaps you saw someone in a well-tailored suit; you may have assumed that they were a businessperson. (Or rich. Or both.) If you saw someone with a sweaty shirt, a Fitbit, and worn sneakers, you might have assumed that they came from the gym. We make these snap judgments all the time with people, but we also do it for inanimate objects (“this car seems reliable”), for animals (“that cat looks like it wants to take over the world”), and for businesses.

If you own a business, you probably know that your customers, at a glance, make snap judgments about what you do and how well you do it. If you want your audience’s snap judgments to be accurate and positive reflections of your business, you should probably get a logo to make your first impression for you. Think of your logo as clothing for your company — it doesn’t make up for having a personality, but it primes others to think of what your personality will be like. After all, companies have individual identities just like people do. But don’t take my word for it, let’s play Round 2 of that game. This time, I’ll throw out a description, and you think of what company I could be describing:

1.  Rebellious, daring, American, tough
2.  Strong, athletic, healthy, champion
3.  Tech-savvy, artistic, well-dressed, friendly, independent
4.  Nerdy, playful, smart, approachable, helpful

There is no one correct answer, but the chances that you thought of “Harley Davidson”, “Nike”,  “Apple”, and “Google” are pretty high. These companies have created logos that reflect their personalities and have reinforced their messages through products, customer relationships, and branding. In short, a high-quality logo will pique interest and get you in the door – over time, your logo will become synonymous with the characteristics of your business.

Now Let’s Take Action!

If you’re thinking about branding (or rebranding) your business to reflect your company’s personality, great! There are a few steps you’ll need to take to get there. Don’t worry, I’ll happily walk you through them. Don’t start by sketching out the first thing that you see in your head, or hiring the first designer that comes up on Google. Instead, think deeply about your company and answer a few questions.

1. Imagine your business as a person. What are its 5 most noticeable character traits?
2. What differentiates your company from others in the same field?
   1. Even technology companies that (on their surface) play similar roles have different identities. Compare the Apple logo to that of Microsoft, or Google to Yahoo.
3. If your brand grows astronomically in 5 years, what products could your logo be on? Yes, on business cards, but beyond that: Blogs? YouTube videos? Websites? Apps? Cars? Tattoos?
   1. Note: You may chuckle at “tattoos,” but people get logos as tattoos all the time. Look up “Harley Davidson tattoo” or “Apple tattoo”. People get these because they relate, not necessarily to the brand itself, but to the brand’s values.
4. What is your price range?
   1. This article does well to break down how logos are priced. They can range anywhere from 50 bucks using a template to tens of thousands of dollars using a talented designer or design firm. If you just yelled “tens of thousands of dollars?!!” and instinctively wanted to go down the cheapest route, be careful. High quality design should be more expensive than mediocre design, in the same way that buying a limo is more expensive than buying a used Subaru.
5. What logo designer do you want to work with?
   1. Once you’ve chosen a price range, it’s time to start hunting on the internet. Search Instagram for a designer that suits your style. Ask your entrepreneur friends where they found their logo designer. You could even go on Upwork or Fiverr – though finding a great designer on a freelance platform may be like finding a needle in a haystack. Do you want a logo designer who aligns with your brand’s values? One who specializes in script lettering? Regardless, keep an open mind throughout the process — a designer may surprise you with an idea you never considered.

No logo will become a Nike Swoosh overnight (funnily, Nike’s founder was initially ambivalent to the Swoosh. As you can imagine, he eventually changed his mind.) Logos take time to grow into instantly-recognizable symbols, but they can get there with a bit of TLC. Once you have your logo, and you start gaining customers, the personality that your logo takes on is completely up to you.

Kristen D. Smith is a logo designer and mechanical engineer. She’s pretty dope. You can find her at www.ideasbykristen.com on your internet machine, at @ideasbykristen on Instagram, or sitting in a dim café while shopping online for snapbacks in real life.