Branding as a Start-Up

New to business? New to Branding?

Taking the leap is the scariest part, but what follows soon after is 100% a white knuckle, freebasing experience too. When I think back to my first 2 years in starting a business it’s all a blur of intense emotions.

I feel that anyone who suggests starting up a business “doesn’t have to be this way” is kidding themselves. I’d argue that their ignorance comes from the fact they haven’t experienced it like we have. That being said, getting a firm grip on the fundamentals of a start-up brand will make this white knuckle ride a little more comfortable so that when you get to that all important 2-3year mark, you feel equipped with some clarity on where and how to move next instead of the common situation where you feel as though you need to knock it all down to re-build it back up from scratch again.

• Fewer than half of UK start-ups make it beyond 5 years (GOV.UK, 2019)
• 60 % of new businesses will go-under within three years (Telegraph, 2019)

WHY NOT TO INVEST SIGNIFICANTLY INTO BRANDING AS A START UP

What you build now is 99.9% going to change in one way or another within the next 2-3 years.

Instead of using a large percentage of your start up investment money, or borrowed money on in-depth branding, I always recommend you spend more prudently on key lower-level investments first.

KEY INVESTMENTS INTO BRANDING AS A START-UP

1. Baseline visibility of you. You can do this with a quick budget-minded Headshot. This is going to move your online profiles and about us page away from the selfie-amateur look but at the same time will not fill you with wasted money regrets in 2-3 yrs time when you feel differently about your visibility based on what happens in the next 2-3 yrs ahead.
2. A flexible online hub with some baseline SEO in place. It’s never too soon to get cracking on the hard work in building up a meaningful presence online. Investing in expertise to make sure this hard work yields a professional looking website but more importantly a website that works to attract your all-important first customers is integral for start-up success.
3. Strategic knowledge of your market. That informs a realistic marketing plan. This can feel like drinking from a hose of imposter syndrome to any start up. Having the right level of data and insight into your market is often the difference between success and failure. Many people avoid it because it feels uncomfortable and scary.
4. An impartial and Strategic set of hypotheses to base your evaluations and decision making on in 2-3 years’ time comes from quality branding and marketing strategy. The work to achieve this feels uncomfortable, but again, is often the difference between success and failure as a start-up.
5. A flexible baseline identity. When people feel icky about attempting key investments 3 and 4, they jump into the world of “procrasti-branding” because it feels more fun and enjoyable, like decorating a new room in a new house. You do not need a sophisticated brand identity; you need something that will serve you as a great placeholder to MVP your start up for the next 2-3yrs ahead but that is heavily based on the strategic work that comes out of key investment 3 and 4.

Branding for Start Ups

I have collaborated with Elaine from Exaltis for several years to help start-ups develop the right brand and online presence to support you in those fledgling years of entrepreneurship.

We offer collaborative branding for startups package to get you started the right way with a logo, typography, branding and more.

Professional Headshots

To support start-ups with Key Investment number 1, I have this fuss-free, time effective, and budget-friendly Professional Headshots service.

Program Application

If you feel as though you’d rather put in the time to learn the art of Branding Strategy for yourself with my expert guidance along the way, joining my Branding Program, which is designed to help you build a brand that is on your terms, might be the best next step for you.

This runs a couple of times each year and admission are determined through an application process.