The word “brand” is thrown around so much in business lately but what does it mean and how exactly does one brand something? I’ll tell you one thing, branding a business is nothing like branding cattle. If done properly there will be no pain or scalding flesh.

Having a good brand is so important in the saturated business world we currently have. What will set you apart from your competition and help you reside in the hearts and minds of your clients?

Many people will look at a logo and say, “Hey, that’s good branding.” While the logo is an integral part of the process it is by no means the most important, just the most prominent. Your brand is the essence of your company or organization from what it looks like (logos, advertising) to how it functions (strategies, core models) and how it interacts with clientele (employees).  A brand tells you how to design a logo, where to display that logo, what type of advertising you do, how your business functions day to day and the type of people it hires. Needless to say a good brand is extremely important.

Do only companies with large amounts of people need to brand? Not at all. While small businesses may be able to get away with not branding themselves at the start it will either come up later, causing an issue of consistency for your customers or it will pigeon hole them into staying small forever. Small companies that go through a proper branding process grow quicker and find ease in doing so. It is much easier to find your way when you have a map in hand.

The branding process starts, like most things in design, from the end result backward. What type of business do you want and what type of people will it attract? Answer these questions and you’ll have your mission statement or core values. You’ll also be well on your way to a functional brand.