Branding your business. Where to begin. Or to continue doing.

Branding your business and your name is where I recommend every business owner to start and to keep in mind as the business gets more established.  

Here is some advice that I wish I received when I started.

Branding the business: 

Define the overall aspirations and goals.

Conduct research in your area and see the demands in the area that can be filled.

Assess your current state in skill, knowledge, overhead, machinery, etc.

Create your game plane. 

Establish your brand. 

Manage your brand. 

So where am I as a business today? My business is growing regularly.  I have established a website. I have a  google page, a yahoo page, yelp page, yellow pages ad, google + page, Facebook and Instagram page, and list can go on. 

I am constantly adding to each of these pages to show the world I am still active and my skill is diverse. I am trying to share that I'm a jack of all trades, and I if I don't know how to do something than I know I can find someone who does. 

I am also preparing myself to demonstrate at art festivals, home furnishing shows, craft fairs, or the like.  This helps my business and my name get further established. I have this blog that you are hopefully following and enjoying. All these elements help further my business. Lastly I am trying to write an article or 2 each year if possible to further get myself in people's view.   

So where does that lead me to next?

Currently I am trying to further to establish my brand and by letting my logo and name speak for me. This is why I am purchasing a branding iron to mark not only my furniture but also my wood wares.  

Wood wares like cutting boards for example are a perfect piece of advertisement. By having your business branded on an item regularly used by patrons will hopefully remind them of you and your business. Obviously cutting boards isn't the only thing I do, but getting the client to sometimes remember is a different story.  This is why a cutting board with my branding is important. 

I am going to take this branding further by using the same layout of the banding iron and turning it into stickers, magnets, pens, hats, a new business shirt, sweaters, hoodies, pens, pencils, notepads, etc.  I am not telling you to do all of this at once, but rather consider them as the business grows.   

Branding iron to be made. Simply but informative

The branding iron is just another way of further establish my brand. Next comes the rework of the business card.  A business card needs to be clean and attractive. Printed in quality paper and easily readable.  I am also a believer that a business card has two sides. By adding my services on the back of a card, it kindly reminds patrons what else I can do to better serve their needs.

I am still modifying the business card. But this is a great start. 

While these two features seem obvious few actually go out and do them.  Which is why its important for me to share with you some tips on how to start.

Many thanks to Jasper and my better half Krista for helping me further establish my brand. 

Hope this helps.