Every company needs a brand. SMEs are no exception.
I’m not talking about logos..
Logos are important. But it’s what sits behind the logo that really counts.
Logos help with recognition. That’s fundamentally what they’re there for.
But a logo isn’t your brand.
Your logo should REFLECT your brand. Give the desired impression.
But it can never, in isolation, tell the whole story.
Your logo is like a name badge. It’s an identifier.
It says who you are. But it doesn’t say “why” you are. It doesn’t say “why” you’re better than your competitors. It doesn’t provide a reason for customers to buy from you, not someone else.
It’s not enough to design a flashy logo. It has to have meaning.
Think first about your brand positioning.
Understand your customer’s needs. Understand why they might need your help.
Understand your competitors’ strengths and why your customers might choose them.
Then provide them with a reason why they should choose you instead. Be consistent and repetitive.
That’s when your brand promise starts to become clear. When it starts to mean something.
When you know what that something is, that’s when you’ve got a chance of creating a logo that has meaning.
