As a small business owner, you’ve got a lot on your plate; keeping up with bills, hiring qualified employees, ensuring profitability, all the while you’re trying to maintain a decent reputation and attract new business prospects. I want you to ask yourself this question, “How do I want my company to be perceived?” Do you want people to look at you as a polished company with professional employees, or maybe you want your funky character to shine through letting prospects feel as though you are cool, laid back and easy to talk to? Either way, your branding is of vital importance in portraying your business character, yet this is something that many small business owners don’t put enough time and energy into.
Say you’re looking for a reputable lawyer to assist you with your upcoming real estate transaction; you obviously want to find someone who has a good track record, who’s professional, and who can get the job done. Simply based on the two logos provided below, which law firm would you choose to go with?
Based on Logo Only, Which Firm Would You Choose?
I assume you probably said The Law Office of David Rocheford. Why is that? In theory, John Smith could be just as good of a lawyer as Mr. Rocheford, but the way that he represents his business is not. John Smith’s logo is an obvious piece of clipart, with harsh colors and no type treatment. It seems as though the logo was thrown together in a matter of minutes, which makes me wonder…is this how Mr. Smith conducts his business as well?
Now you might be thinking to yourself, “That’s ridiculous, I would never have to make a decision like that based on a logo alone. I’d do my research and if John Smith had a better track record, who cares what his logo looks like?” You may be right. However, IF you do your research and find that company A is better than company B, then by all means, choose company A. But you may not realize how much company identity sways your decisions in your everyday life.
When you spend money on something, you want to get the best quality for your money, right? Well, if your branding is perceived as cheap looking, the potential customer will confidently assume that the product/service will be just as cheap. Will that always be the case? Absolutely not, but like it or not, this is how the human mind works. You must put yourself in the position of a potential buyer and say to yourself, “If I knew nothing about my company and I was on the outside looking in, would I buy or move on to the next candidate?”
