If you are just starting out with a brand-new enterprise, there is naturally going to be a lot to think about. Most likely, there are two things that you’ll be looking at first: the business goal and the name. Often, many business owners put all their focus into the first, while leaving the branding as an afterthought. As an entrepreneur, here is why branding is worth more time than you’d think.

Why a Brand Matters

More than any product or any executive behind it, the brand of a company is the first thing the public will recognize. It is your face in front of the world, and we all know how important first impressions can be. A clean, well-thought-out and clever logo can instantly get a positive reaction from customers, while something thrown together in a hurry can put them off entirely, and that’s true whether you’re in banking, baking or even an online casino.

From the latter, take the example of Paddy Power Online Bingo, a well-established brand in the online bingo and casino world. Their logo, colors and tone have all been carefully chosen to both make them distinct while also fitting with many of the expected elements of their industry, such as bold contrasts, clear fonts and a more casual feel to the whole thing.

The First Key Steps

Before choosing a name or a logo, the critical first step is crafting a brand guide. This is essentially a document that contains every element of a brand, and most are more detailed than anyone expects. For example, it includes things as obvious as the logo, but also different variants of that logo to appear with different color backgrounds or inverted color schemes. Core colors for backdrops are in there, but also colors for online links, both the clicked and unclicked ones.

As with anything, the more you plan it out, the better the result will be. A great branding guidebook gives results like that of Omsom or Magic Waters, both brands that are distinctive and unique but more importantly have all their elements working in harmony.

Onwards and Upwards

While you may start from a branding guidebook, in the end, the implementation comes down to you. This is particularly true when it comes to your communications, as these are made on the spot and must still adhere to the brand. Tone of voice is often overlooked in terms of branding, but how you present yourself directly to your customers is vital and being consistent with it matters.

In many cases, your tone can set you apart just as much as any other part of your brand. If you look at big brands such as Wendy’s or Mailchimp, their casual and jokey tones are just as much of an appeal as any of their products, with both leaning heavily into the social media world as well.

There’s no hard and fast rule to making a good brand, but the importance of taking time and planning one out can’t be overstated. As with everything, planning and research is the way!