Branding Basics

There are a lot of things to think about when you're branding your business. To keep yourself organized, I recommend starting with a branding board. From there, you can place things into the branding binders and put things into action. 

Branding is ultimately the way that your business effects the senses of the public. It is your message, your personality, the vision, your experience, your feel, your smell, your "sound", the way the business "tastes" to your prospects and clients. It is the words, the emotions, the colors, the flow, the information, the layout, the vendors you work with, the clients you represent, and the life of your business.  

It is you, in business form - like your heartbeat, your dreams into a living being. It is what creates their memory and recall of your business, the connection and attachment that builds loyalty. It is how you're recognized. Your branding is your "special sauce".

Your images, your editing, the way you answer the phone, how your office looks, how you run your sales appointments, how you email clients, your packing and delivery, your mailers and promotions, the events you host, your URL, your writing style on your blog, your workflow,your prints and products, how many clients you take on, any special programs you run, even your pricing and package structure ... it is all a part of your branding. Your branding builds the expectation of the experience with you. 

Branding has to be authentic and realistic - so don't overpromise and under deliver. Hold yourself to the standard of your brand - every decision you make for your business will effect it.

Use magazines, pinterest, everything you can and cut out or print out things you love. Put them on the board under different headings. 

To start branding, choose:

• Name
• Colors
• Graphics
• Words
• Images
• Design (simple or detailed)
• Smells
• Experience
• Business Model (high volume, low volume, boutique, etc)
• Photographic Style and Editing Style
• Fonts
• Specific Target Market (age, spending style, where they shop, what they love, who they are)
• Marketing avenues (twitter, fb, g+, blog, website offline - how often, and what)
• Vendors that represent your brand well 

Things you need to brand:

•  Logo
• Tag Line
• YouTube Url and Design
• Twitter Url and design
• G+ profile and page
• Website Url and design
•  Blog Url and design
•  Facebook Page, welcome page, and tabs
•  Promotional Pieces
• Props, Backgrounds, Places your photograph and Sets
•  Inquiry Script
•  Booking Script
• Pricing and Packages and presentation of prices
• Events and Special Promotions
• Office Space and Desktop
•  Presentation and Ordering Process
•  Product Line
•  Email Marketing 
•  General Advertising Piece
•  Business Cards
•  Rep or Referral Programs
•  Checks and Credit Cards
•  Policies
•  Customer Retention Program
•  Email Communications 
•  Workflow process created
• Packaging and enclosures/gifts

If you're ready to move to Branding Binders, click here. 

More info on a Word Bank is here.

What about Branding Yourself?