Corporate design for freelancers and small businesses

Why would I need a corporate design? This is the question many freelancers and small business owners ask. Logo design, brand identity, corporate branding – is all this really necessary?

The answer is simple: yes, it’s all really necessary. But don’t worry: you don’t have to spend a lot of money if you’re ready to spend time and work on your own corporate design.

Why do you need corporate design?

If you have a choice, many entrepreneurs will prefer to spend time and money on sustainability rather than developing a brand implementation strategy. But believe me, brand building is an important part of sustainability!

Why not? Because you have to tell your story. You have to tell your customers what you do. And any information you share should contribute to that goal. The information on your website, in your business cards and even in your invoices.

Brand identity is more than just a free logo design

The whole thing is more than the sum of its parts. This is one of my favorite statements, and it describes the essence of the brand identity in the best possible way. To create your own brand is to emphasize the uniqueness of your business; to tell me what you are working for, why you started your business and what you want to achieve.

If you don’t know who you are and what your strengths are, you won’t be able to realize your full potential. The same goes for your business: if you can’t express what it really is for, it’s unlikely to last long. So how do you determine the essence of the business?

To do this, you need to first understand that corporate branding does not begin and does not end with the development of the logo.nda. But believe me, brand building is an important part of sustainability!

Why not? Because you have to tell your story. You have to tell your customers what you do. And any information you share should contribute to that goal. The information on your website, in your business cards and even in your invoices.

How do I find my corporate history?

With the help of the right tool (and in today’s world there are many online tools) everyone can develop a logo in seconds. You just need to place it on the accounts, on the website and in business cards, and everything will be fine. Not at all! Are you sure that your logo reflects your history?

Does it reflect the essence of your business? Or does it just say that it was created in a couple of seconds using a free online tool? One very clever person once said: “A person can’t help but communicate.

Any information you post sends a message. And you should think carefully about what message you really want to send. You should think very carefully. And best of all, hire a professional to help you.

Even if you think it’s a waste of money at the moment, trust me: it’s worth it. But if you’re just starting your own business and you don’t have the resources to hire a branding specialist, just answer the 5 questions below.

Do it yourself: corporate branding in 5 steps

What do you do?

This question seems simple: if you are a plumber, you are in charge of installing and repairing pipes. If you sell handmade wooden chopping boards, that’s what you do.

But think again: why should someone hire BAC and not some other plumber? Why should people spend money to buy YOUR cutting boards? The answer to these questions leads us to step 2.

What makes your business unique?

Finding your own so-called UTP – a unique trade offer – is the key to corporate communication. Perhaps you are an excellent plumber because you learned your business from your father, who in turn received knowledge from your grandfather.

Or you work faster than anyone else, because you have developed a special technology. Whatever it is, your business is surely unique. You just need to find out what it is all about.

Who are your clients?

Now that you understand what you’re doing, it’s time to think about your customers. Who do you sell your products to? Who should hire you to do the job? Do you put pipes in new offices or old houses?

Identify your clientele as accurately as possible, but don’t limit yourself. Sometimes the target group isn’t what we thought it would be. You can even wander the neighborhood, talk to people and find out what they really need.

What language does most of your clients speak?

It’s not a simple question. It’s not about language in the most common sense – Chinese, Russian or English (although this aspect is also important for international business) – but about non-verbal language, which is determined by the media, culture and many other factors.

Teenagers use a language other than their parents’, and prefer different visual images. Try to determine which words your target group uses, which visual images they like, and which colors they prefer.

Find your voice!

Now that you have understood what you do and who your clients are, it’s time for you to take your last step – to find your voice! You have to find a way to send your message to your clients in their language without losing your individuality.

If your target group is a law firm, you should consider using an elegant font. If you want your product to be bought by teenagers, you should choose a font that will appeal to teenagers. The same applies to the colour, style and wording of phrases.

Creating corporate design – not

a momentary process. Be accurate and deal with the details; consult with friends, family and customers. Take your time, and the result is sure to make you happy.

If you take corporate design seriously, you can tell your real business story. With each invoice.