5 Top Tips for Branding Your Business (logo not required!)

What comes to mind when you hear the word “finances”? Or “keeping up on social”. Or “writing emails”. Or, whatever is not your favorite thing to do in your business – insert that here: ___________.

Did anything related to branding, strategy, or graphics come to mind?

Don’t worry, you’re in luck – I’ve got just the thing for you: My top tips for branding your business without a logo – things you can do, yourself, without any design experience or fancy, expensive apps, AND even if you don’t feel like a “creative person”.

Hopefully, this will get you one step further in branding your biz – even if you don’t have a logo yet!

>>>PS: Want to learn how to make your brand consistent, too? Grab your Brand Habits Stack right here!<<<

Tip #1: Know your style

With or without a logo, it helps to know your brand style. This can include all of the obvious visual things like graphic, photo, and video style. Annnnd it can also include other non-visual things, like your brand personality, voice, tone, and messaging.

Definitely easier said than done, amiright? (raising my hand here-it’s not always easy for me either, especially for my own brand!)

My best tip is to create a mood board, like, ASAP.

A mood board can keep you on track with visual and verbal direction, and give you some very loose guidelines to get started.

To begin, collect all. the. things. you are drawn to, and put them in a document (don’t keep them on Pinterest, actually put them into your own DIYed document!)

This will be your guiding light for all things brand style as you move forward.

It will dictate your future logo, and all of the visual and verbal things you create for your brand.

Be sure to include inspiration for things like graphics, photos, and even words that describe what you want your brand to be. I talk a little more about this process in this post about how to be your own Creative Director, aaaand I give a full-on tutorial and editable template in The B.Y.B Toolkit.

ASK YOURSELF

1. What 3 words describe what you want your brand to be?
2. What colors are you drawn to?
3. What fonts do you seem to love?
4. What graphic elements are you drawn to?
5. What patterns do you like?
6. What type of imagery do you gravitate towards?
7. What slogans, mottos, or messaging are you thinking about?

Pro Tip: Do you notice any themes on your Pinterest boards for any of these items? Similar colors, similar font styles, patterns or photography style etc.? Keep note, it means you’re getting closer to defining your style!

Tip #2: Add visual & verbal personality

Your brand needs personality if you want it to be remembered.

This could be based on your own personality, a completely made-up one, or based on someone you know. 

Your brand could be witty and laid back, or poised and powerful.

It could be charming and sweet, or brave and mysterious.

It all depends on your industry, and audience.

And what you want your brand to be in the midst of all the noise.

Personality can be both visual and verbal. It can be what is said, but also what is seen.

Your graphics, photos, videos and messaging play a huge part in your brand personality, so make sure to spend some time figuring this one out. Let things sink in, and come to it to revise and gather more thoughts. This is all part of the long game!

ASK YOURSELF

1. If your brand was a person, how would you describe their personality?
2. If your brand was a drink, what would it be and why?
3. If your brand went on a weekend getaway, where would it be and why?
4. If your brand was a tasty treat, what would it be and why?
5. If your brand was a flower, which one would it be and why?
6. If your brand was a scent, what would it be and why?
7. What is your brand’s favorite season and why?
8. What is your brand’s favorite movie, and why?

These might sound silly, or ridiculous to answer, but if you just humor me and answer a few, you might be surprised by your results.

Tip #3: Have a brand purpose

In order for your brand to be successful, you gotta get to the heart of it:

Why do you do what you do?

And who are you doing it for?

I believe there are two sides to this coin: 1) Your personal “why” of starting a business in the first place, and 2) Your brand’s “why”.

Over the years, I’ve come to the conclusion that, as a business owner, your personal why usually fuels your brand’s why, at least at the beginning.

Sometimes these “why’s” are two peas in a pod, one and the same.

Sometimes they’re completely different.

It really depends on who you are and what your thing is all about (you’ll see what I mean with the questions below).

To get to the bottom of both of these, mull over the following…

ASK YOURSELF

Your Personal Why

1. What do you love to do?
2. What do you value most in life?
3. Why did you/do you want to start your business?
4. What are you good at?
5. What motivates you?
6. What legacy do you want to leave behind?
7. What is it about starting a business that provides these things (above) for you?

Your Brand’s Why

1. What problem are you solving or need are you meeting?
2. What is the reason your brand exists (beyond making money)?
3. Who are you helping, and why?
4. What are others in your space missing that you’re offering? What gap are you filling?
5. How does what you offer fit into your ideal audience’s life?
6. What is unique about your business and what you offer?
7. What is your origin story (how your business came about, what inspired it, the story behind it)?

Tip #4: Make a plan to brand everything

It’s really not enough to have a logo and be done with it.

Your brand deserves better. It needs a brand identity.

A brand identity is everything you could possibly want or need to represent and promote your brand: Logo, fonts, colors, graphic style, photography, messaging, templates, etc. etc. etc.

All of these items, when put together, complete what is called your “brand identity”.

A brand designer will tackle your logo, fonts, colors, graphic style, your style guide, etc.

A copywriter might help you with your messaging, brand voice, and any copy needed.

A brand photographer would handle your images and help you convey your brand through them.

You, however, especially at first, if you’re a one-woman show, might handle everyyyyything else: Blog writing and images, Pinterest descriptions and images, social media captions and images, ad copy and images, lead magnets, email funnels… the list goes on.

So you need a plan to brand it all. Make it cohesive. As if here was thought and intention put into it (because there was)!

Long after your brand designer is gone, you’ll be the one in the hot seat, making all your creative and all of your content (or directing your team to).

ASK YOURSELF

1. Do you have a style guide for your brand?
2. Do you have branded templates for things you use most often (think social media posts, Pinterest pins, Youtube thumbnails, etc.)?
3. What steps can you take today towards making or updating your style guide and/or branded templates? Can you schedule time on your calendar? Can you make a list of branded templates you need? Can you gather your brand elements to start a simple style guide in a document?

Tip #5: You make the rules

You make the rules…BUT you gotta stick to them!

I think what’s missing in most cases of brand confusion is this: If there aren’t a clear set of rules, guidelines or boundaries for a brand, then it will just look and feel, well… weird. Off. Perplexing. Unkempt. Clients and customers will be confused.

However, if you set some guidelines and actually stick to them, fo’ reals?

You’re going to see results in how often/well/much you’re recognized, aka, brand awareness.

Of course, at the end of the day, it’s your biz and you can do what you want.

BUT, my advice is to make some guidelines for yourself and stick to them.

You can always, always, always, revamp and switch things up as you go or after you hire a brand designer to help you out.

No matter what you do, consistency is very key.

Even the biggest brands on the block have gone through their fair share of brand refreshes. It’s expected and even welcomed.

However, switching things up or being willy-nilly every few months isn’t going to help you out.

So yes, please, by all means, DO make your own brand rules and guidelines… and then stick to them!

ASK YOURSELF

1. Does your style guide reflect basic guidelines for things you use most often (think logo and tagline use, typography, color palette… and maybe even a pattern/icon/graphic element if you’re feeling extra)?
2. Do you have a grasp on brand consistency and realize its importance?
3. Do you know how to implement brand consistency across your brand?

>>Before you go, don’t forget to grab your Brand Habits Stack!<<

I’m here to say that branding might seem overwhelming, but if you can muster a bit of planning and try to follow a style guide, you’re going to be just fine.

No one does it perfectly, but the ones that go forth and conquer time and time again DO take the steps to set up systems and processes within their brand, like the ones discussed here.

If you need a little more help in any of these areas, I’ve compiled some of my most popular posts right here for you:

1. Visual Brand Consistency Explained + 5 Steps To Achieve It
2. 3 Mindset Shifts To Conquer Brand Consistency FOR GOOD!
3. Why You Need Branded Graphics + 4 Tips To Get Started Now
4. The 4 Basic Things Every Style Guide Needs PLUS 3 Ways To Make Your Own In A Flash
5. The Purpose Of A Style Guide For Your Brand + My Style Guide Cheat Sheet

Cheers to you conquering this thing – you got this!