All too often, the short-hand approach of implementing a visual brand component alone is completely mistaken for a complete brand identity and used in place of a complete brand strategy. Visual Branding and Brand Strategy are neither exclusive nor independent of one another. This is a common error evident in a variety of small business brands where the latest trend is quickly yesterday’s news. As a business owner, what can you do? If you’re like most, you need experts to effectively manage your brand strategy and execution because you’re too busy running your day-to-day operations.
What NOT to do…
Commonly, the new, small business owner resorts to the painstaking process of developing, even designing their own company logo and website using the readily available do-it-yourself options offered by myriad domain hosting companies posing as one-stop shopping solutions. And the result? We’ve all seen it. It’s everywhere and it’s a sad mishmash of incomplete thoughts, poorly-executed, inconsistent images and typically static information with few or no influential calls to action on the part of the viewer. The web is littered with thousands of what we consider virtual telephone book disconnects – a web page with an email address, possibly a phone number, and a few product images thrown around.
Unfortunately, no matter how much in love you are with the visual concept you came up with all by yourself, it’s most likely not going to stand the test of time. And as much as we don’t like serving the truth with a one-two punch approach, sugar coating a lie isn’t doing you any favors and we’re not in the business of lip disservice.
So many new business owners convince themselves that “later” and “down the road” are the frugal route to abject failure “success”, and in doing so, one of the most important aspects of brand identity goes by the wayside—the ever-important and irrefutable first impression.
If not the DIY route, hiring the right brand development and management company can be a headache large enough to cause a complete shutdown in the development process and that’s a dangerous, business-killing mistake that no business can afford. Add to that the fact that so many graphic artists and designers claim to be marketers and branding specialists when they simply are not. In doing so, they typically fall short in experience and the capacity to truly support a complete brand strategy into fruition. For the uninitiated, choosing the right company for your needs can be a tedious, disappointing money drain.
Cut Through The Confusion
Whether you’ve already banged your head against the wall a few times before landing here or you’ve just gotten started, your best bet is to work with some guided research.
The most valuable time you will spend making first-round decisions on durable, executable brand strategies and a realistic, implementable marketing plan will be the wisest money-saving effort you can make for long-term return on your investment.
Start here and request an appointment call to evaluate your brand readiness by taking a few minutes to answer some very important questions with a GTR Inc. Brand Manager.