Often used in relation to business, branding tends to concern a variety of aspects - from logos to the overall tone of voice. Branding is at the root of so many decisions that businesses make and can have a huge impact on the way that your company is perceived externally.

Successful branding can be the difference between a thriving company and a lesser known business, which is why it’s so important to get it right.

But what is branding?

To put it simply, branding is what differentiates you from other companies. It also impacts the following aspects of your business:

• Your business’s visual brand identity, such as the logo, brand colours and website

• Marketing, communications and advertising

• Your company’s tone of voice and overall consumer experience

• And most importantly - your business’ USP (unique selling point)

To quote Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos: “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”

Ultimately, your branding should be able to aptly answer who your company is, what services or products you offer, who your target audience is and what makes you different from everyone else (this is your USP).

These are the aspect of your business that should be at the forefront of your mind when making branding decisions, as your business’ branding should be an assurance of what you will provide your customers or clients. Your visual brand identity can be decided based upon how you want your business and services to be portrayed.

What does branding mean for my small business?

When you’re a small business, you may find yourself marketing your brand in a way that makes you seem bigger, and just as capable as larger companies. Branding is a great way to achieve this; ultimately your branding is your business’ reputation and the impression that you’re giving potential and existing clients. It differentiates you from your competitors and allows you to make connections with your clients. By having input into your branding, you can control the narrative that is set by your business - which can be the difference between a client wanting to work with you or a competitor.

At My Own Stationery, we offer a customised notebook builder, designed to allow you to create branded notebooks for your business. For more information on what we do or how we can help, get in touch today via our contact form, or through our Facebook and Twitter pages!