Create a Logo and Brand
The first step in creating a memorable business online is creating your logo and branding. This is how your customers will connect and recognize your content among the hundreds of posts and ads they see each day.
“Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room” – Jeff Bazos, Founder of Amazon.
Yes, if you want a logo and brand that is solid and you’re ready to fall in love with, you need to to hire a graphic designer and probably also a branding coach too! They will be able to help you shapen your imagery, logo, colors, and fonts into a real work of art but if you can’t afford to take that step, it is never too early to start working on basic concepts yourself.
If you have a general direction you like, there is no harm sitting down in front of Canva and getting crafty.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when trying to DIY it:
- Pick your fonts carefully- Your fonts will be a huge part of your overall branding and you want them to stay consistent. Read over this blog to help you pick the perfect font for your business.
- Make sure your colors compliment each other- If you have a couple of colors in mind, you can use this online tool to help you find other colors to match! Your colors will be another huge part of branding consistency and you don’t want to get stuck with any unpleasant colors.
- Make sure your graphics are crisp, clear, and are recognizable from far away.
- If you’re looking for inspo/ ideas, DON’T go to big companies like Adidas or Coca Cola for inspiration. Look for another business more similar to yours. Then break down what it is that you like about them, and don’t copy them, instead try and find your own way while using those concepts and ideas.
Set-up Your Domain (URL) and Email
Even if you aren’t ready to take a dive and build out a website, it is never too early to reserve your domain. When choosing a domain name, try to keep it short and close to your business name. People are much more likely to remember a simple domain over a complicated one. Make sure it is short, consistent with your social media usernames, easy to pronounce and spell and make it unique and brandable!
Another advantage of paying for a domain is that you can then create an email account associated with the same domain (example: cali@makeyourmark.co.il).
Yes, your Gmail address gets the job done but when you send and receive emails from your customers, you want them to see that you have professional and consistent branding, and to accomplish that, you NEED to create a business email address.
There are thousands of domains being bought every day. If you already have a name for your business, and you plan on sticking with it, buy it! If you don’t act fast, someone else can register your domain idea.
Order Business Cards/Swag
This one may sound like a no-brainer, but business cards and swag are a way to get your name out there and in front of your customers. For a very small investment, you can get business cards, stickers, magnets, or even masks from online services like Sticker Mule and other local vendors.
We recently invested in Make Your Mark masks, from LaBayit Gifts, and I can’t even begin to explain how many people have asked me, “Is that your business? What do you do?” Having physically branded objects is a good way to break-the-ice and get your name, and brand, in front of new people on a daily basis. It is also a GREAT way to sport your pride and feel good about your accomplishments!
Hire a Branding Photographer
Believe us when we tell you, this step is 100% worth the investment. Like we always say, people buy from people and if your customers don’t feel like they know you, they won’t buy from you. Hiring a branding photographer means that you get pictures of you “doing your thing.” You can use these pictures for profile pictures, social posts, and they will come in super handy when you start building your website!
You will also have a ton of fun and it will really help you get a creative spark for new content for your business! SHOUTOUT to Sarah Raanan who has taken ALL of the Make Your Mark pictures is always creative, and an awesome person to hangout with for a day! We love working with her.
Make Your Voice Heard
If you are new in the field, you need to make sure your voice is heard! It takes time to build up brand loyalty and recognition but we all know that it is a crucial step in building our businesses. So you may be asking, does that mean I need to be posting on my business page 3 times a day? Thankfully, no, (please don’t!) this is the reason we have STORIES!
You can now put up stories on Instagram, Twitter, Watsapp, Facebook, Linkedin, OR YouTube! Daily stories are the best way to remind people who you are and what you do. It gives you a platform at the top of your client’s social feed to educate them and tell them why they need your service/product in their life. Posts are great, but to build a relationship you need to be talking to them on a more personal level more often.
We have been preaching this for years, but is it practical to come up with multiple stories daily? YES! We know it is hard and time-consuming but people do it and NOW you can do it too!
Whether you’re constantly running out of content for your stories, or for your social media in general, Everyday Story Ideas is an easy way to upkeep your social media presence and move your face into the limelight.
So now that you have your next 5 steps to make your business more professional, keep us in the loop and make sure you tell us how it’s going! Be in touch through Facebook/Instagram and make sure to join our LIVE LEARNING every Sunday night at 8PM Israel Time.