When I first started working as a brand designer nearly 19 years ago, I learned one thing very quickly: people are CONFUSED about what a brand actually is.

This honestly didn't come as a shock to me though because as a business owner myself I can clearly see why this confusion happens. 

When you’re starting out in business, you tend to hear similar advice of what you need to do first. 

• Create your logo.
• Build your website.
• Choose your colors.
• Have a brand photoshoot… so you can post cute pics on Instagram for “marketing.”

No wonder people think that a brand is simply a logo and a color palette! That’s what people are teaching them. 

As a brand designer, this makes me cringe because your brand is SO. MUCH. MORE. 

And it’s really freaking important!

If you can relate to thinking that your brand is:

✔️ simply about the logo in the corner of your website

✔️ the colors that you use on your Instagram highlight covers and CTA buttons

✔️ or the fonts that you use on your website and social media posts

Keep reading because we’ve got some work to do! ⬇️

You don't need a logo for your small business, you need a strategy!

What is a brand?

First things first, let’s start simple and define what a brand really is.

There’s a few definitions of the word “brand” including:

• Merriam-Webster: Brand (noun) - a public image, reputation or identity conceived of as something to be marketed or promoted
• Oxford Dictionary: Brand (noun) - a type of product, service, etc. made or offered by a particular company under a particular name
• Random AI Result: Brand (noun) - an intangible marketing or business concept that helps people identify a company, product, or individual

From all of these definitions combined, a few words stick out to me the most that I want you to hone in on: public image, reputation, identify, intangible.

Your brand as a whole is the overarching entity that people recognize and identify you with – and it’s not a tangible product or service. 

Instead, it’s a mixture of visuals and feelings working together to create an experience across every touchpoint of your business, shaping how people perceive you and your business.

This means that your brand is NOT just your logo, color palette and fonts. 

Your brand IS a an all-encompassing combination of:

• what you stand for and why
• the words, phrases and tone of voice you use
• how people feel when they interact with you, your team, your website and even your social presence 
• all design elements (and the strategy / deeper meaning behind them)

Since your brand as a whole is an all-encompassing entity, you can’t possibly skip straight to creating your logo and choosing your color palette without first digging into your brand strategy. A logo for your small business is just one piece of a much bigger puzzle.

What is a brand strategy, and why should it come before design?

Now that you’re more familiar with what a brand actually is, let’s touch on the strategy piece – because this such an important part for your long-term success in business!

Your brand strategy is the heartbeat of your business and includes 5 main components, including:

• Brand Purpose - aka why your business/brand exists and what it stands for
• Brand Values - aka your core beliefs and principles that guide your decision-making
• Brand Positioning - aka how you are perceived by your audience compared to your competitors (your positioning is your differentiator) 
• Brand Messaging - aka your tone, core message and how you communicate
• Target Audience - aka the specific group of people that your business/brand is trying to reach and serve

When you have clarity around each of these and you’ve clearly defined them, EVERYTHING you do flows from this. Your brand strategy acts as a filter for every business decision you make — from which colors and fonts to use in social media graphics, to which clients to take on, to which products to launch.

For example, if you’re faced with a decision in your business, such as launching a new product, and you aren’t sure if you should do it or not, your brand strategy can help you answer that question.

• Does it align with who you are and your brand values?
• Is it something that will truly serve your target audience?
• Does it match your messaging?

Your strategy should guide every single decision to make sure that everything aligns and makes sense for your audience!

Not sure how much brand strategy your small business actually needs right now? I break that down in detail here.



What is brand identity, and where does your logo fit in?

Brand identity is what a lot of business owners skip to first. (I see you!) And I'm not going to pretend it isn't important, because it absolutely is.

Your brand identity is all of those fun things that people love to obsess over and it's what creatively translates your strategy into visuals.

Your brand identity includes:

• Logo Suite (Primary, secondary, icon)
• Color palette
• Typography
• Graphical elements
• Imagery

The reason your brand strategy MUST come before all of these is that your brand identity should reflect your brand strategy, so that the correct feelings and perceptions are created by your audience!

Think about all three of these (brand, brand strategy and brand identity) like an outfit:

• Brand strategy = a shirt and pair of pants that make up the foundation of your outfit
• Brand identity = your accessories that give a little pizazz and extra “umph” to your outfit
• Brand = the way someone perceives you because of your outfit (Ex. “She’s so trendy!” or “Her style is super eclectic!”)

Just like you wouldn’t get dressed for the day by starting with your accessories first, you shouldn’t jump straight to the visuals of your brand before digging into the deeper meaning first!

When you start with the foundation (aka your strategy) first, you’re able to intentionally create your identity so that you can successfully evoke the exact feelings that you want people to have about you and your brand as a whole and in a cohesive way.

What makes a good logo for a small business?

Need a Hand with your Brand?

Here's a question I get all the time: "What makes a good logo for a small business?" 

Here's my honest answer.

A good logo isn't just visually appealing; it's strategically built.

A strong small business logo:

• Reflects your brand strategy: it communicates who you are and who you serve at a glance
• Is versatile: it works across your website, social media, signage, packaging, and more
• Is timeless, not trendy: it won't feel dated in three years
• Includes variations: a primary logo, a secondary version, and a logo icon for different use cases
• Stands alone AND with your full brand: it should look intentional whether paired with your colors and fonts or used on its own

A logo created without brand strategy behind it is just a pretty graphic. It might look nice, but it won't do the work of connecting emotionally with your ideal customers unless you have a strategic foundation.

Wondering how many logo variations your business actually needs? Check out this post.

Small business branding: what I know after nearly 19 years of doing this.

Here's what I know after 16 years of doing this work. If you’re reading this, there’s a chance you fall into one of two groups:

Group 1: You're brand new to business and you're excited to get your logo done so you can launch. You're starting from scratch and want to do it right.

If that's you, this is exciting! You get to start on the right foot. Now you know that strategy comes first, not your logo.

If that's you — this is exciting! You get to start on the right foot. Now you know that strategy comes first, not your logo.

Group 2: You've been in business for a while but you've been approaching your brand all wrong. Maybe you have a DIY logo that no longer feels like you, inconsistent visuals across your website and social media, or a brand that's holding you back from attracting the clients you actually want.

If that's you — it's okay! It's all fixable. And you don't have to figure it out alone.

If you need more help defining your brand strategy, this blog post is a great starting point, but I'm always here if or when you need extra help!

With professional branding and brand strategy services, you'll get:

• A confidence-building brand strategy session with exercises to pinpoint your messaging, voice, and visuals with clarity
• Target audience strategy to attract the customers you actually want to work with
• A visual identity — including a logo suite and brand guidelines — that makes a strong first impression
• Consistent, professional design elements that build credibility and brand equity
• Local small business expertise from someone who gets the Iowa market
  
• 
  

Whether you're just getting started or ready for a full rebrand, let's talk about what your business needs.

Your designer friend always,