Whether you are a major corporation or a small indie business, you realize how important it is to have strong visuals to represent your company. When I first started IHOD, I knew I needed a logo, business card, and etsy banner that were consistent to my brand. I have since then branded and re-branded until I finally came to a look and feel that I felt best represented my business. I want to show you TWO examples that I feel are excellent guides for an overall consistent, clean, and attractive business branding schemes that have been largely successful in their fields! I will be going more into depth in the coming weeks on logos, business cards, fan pages, etc.! So stay tuned.
If you know Danni, you love her and her work! She runs the very successful inspiration blog: Hello, Friend. You can see that each part of her business has a beautiful and consistent aesthetic which gives you a taste of what her business is about. Her blog, shop, and business cards are just a few examples of this.
What she says about her blog: welcome to oh, hello friend: an inspiration blog. i love to create and design. i originally started this blog for myself to have a creative outlet to post about design, crafts, etc. my hope for you is to be encouraged, inspired, motivated to create for yourself.
A question to ask yourself: If someone saw my work on a website or in real life, would they be able to recognize it as mine?
Lonny Mission Statement: OUR MISSION Is to open the doors to accessible design and connect our readers to their favorite products and resources at the click of a mouse. Our freedom from page limits means that we can share more content in each issue, delivering an intimate look into the way people really live.
If you haven’t yet read Lonny Magazine, you might as well admit you have been living under a rock. (Its okay I live under one voluntarily sometimes:D) What I was instantly drawn to about Lonny Magazine was the professional branding. Each and every aspect of their business has a fluid design concept. (Props to their graphic designers!) Go ahead and take a look at their site, blog, or fan page, and you will know what I am talking about.
A Question to Ask Yourself: What do I want a customer or viewer to experience when on your site or holding your materials? Inspiration? Connection to the Product?
You may not know the answer to that question yet, but I guarantee that once you decide and incorporate this into your branding scheme, it will most likely translate to the viewer. So, whether you are starting your branding from scratch or have been with your business for many years, take these incredible companies as an example of how to take your business to the next level!
In Summary:
1) Take a good look at your motto or mission statement for your company and see if your branding visuals match up! It just takes one visit to your shop or site for an impression to be made!
2) Brand or Re-brand! Have consistent color schemes, branding elements, and materials to utilize in each aspect of your business. Whether its facebook, twitter, your blog, website, or business cards, EVERY ASPECT of your business should have a consistent and recognizeable brand identity!
I hope this can be of some help to you, because like I said before, I would have loved some tips when I first started my business. My own is a work in progress and I am learning along with you! If you have any specific subjects you would love to hear more about in this series, shoot me an email or leave a comment! Happy Almost Weekend!!
