Starting a business is exciting: you’ve got a (metric) tonne of new ideas, and you just want to get stuck in! But before you get carried away, ask yourself, “where’s the best place to start?”
Rather than present a step-by-step guide, which is perhaps a little too prescriptive for a creative endeavour, here we give you five key points to consider when you’re just getting started.
Whilst naming your new business might not be a lightbulb moment, it should be one of the earliest things you decide on, and although you’ve got a lot of freedom when it comes to choosing a name, there are a few points you probably should consider.
Don’t be forgettable. Think of a catchy and memorable name that conveys some meaning or descriptive quality: you want people to know — and remember — who you are and what you do. You could even use a business name that contains a searchable term, which will reinforce your SEO endeavours. Think practically and choose a name that will work for you and not against you.
Bear in mind which sector you are in. Specific sectors tend to have particular trends in business names. Is there a trend in yours? Consider your future too when starting a business. Where do you want to take it? Don’t let your business name limit your expansion into other products, services or places.
Last, but by no means least, has the name already been taken? Make sure you can trademark the name, or at least ensure you’re not treading on someone else’s toes. You don’t want to invest in branded, well, everything, and then realise another business got there first!
Brand identity has many facets and is central to starting a business. Often the first and foremost aspect of a brand identity we think of is name and logo, but it goes way beyond this, and brand voice is undoubtedly a major component. By actively selecting your brand voice, you can decide how to communicate with your prospects.
What are the traits and ethos of your brand? And how will you communicate those to the outside world? In essence, how do you want your brand to come across? It might help to think about who you are communicating with. Who are your prospects?
Looking at it from the opposite side, how do you want your brand to be perceived? Funny and informal? Likeable and helpful? Or knowledgeable and formal?
Lively, friendly, sympathetic or off-the-wall, no matter how you choose to communicate, make sure it aligns with your brand and sector values. Would you trust a legal business that injected little too much humour? Or a funeral director with a brash communicative style? These are extreme examples, and brand voice can be very subtle, but you get the idea!
A little investigation into colour psychology and marketing will quickly tell you that your choice of brand colour is pretty important. Colours are emotive and play a significant role in the passive marketing of your brand. So, how do you want to be seen?
Brand colour schemes are composed of a combination of primary, secondary and neutral colours, which, when used together, form a facet of your brand’s identity. The primary colour you choose is the one most clearly associated with your brand or logo. Think about the meaning you want to convey with this burst of colour. Trust? Opulence? Or fun-loving?
Use your secondary colours and neutrals to complete the mood or feeling you want to establish. With a bit of research and the help of an app or two, you can have your own rainbow in no time!
To work out your social media strategy, you’ll first need to decide what your goals are. Without knowing these, you could well waste your efforts. Do you want to network? Post photos? Upload instructional or informative videos? Or generate interactive content? And, importantly, where are your clients spending their time?
Research and identify the platforms most likely to benefit you and your business. When you’ve made your choice, make sure your business name is available. And remember, whilst brand consistency is key, each platform is a facet of your business personality, so take advantage of the opportunity each platform gives you.
Without getting too techy, we want to say a quick word about web addresses. As soon as you’ve hit upon the right name for your new business, check that it’s available as a URL (Uniform Resource Locator, if you really want to know!). You might come up with a cracking business name, only to discover that someone else has already taken the URL!
Be creative and find what works for you. Take B&Q, the home and garden chain — their URL is www.diy.com. Don’t let your business name or URL availability limit you.
The TLD (Top Level Domain) you choose — the end of a web address after the last “dot” — will depend on several factors, such as whether you intend to hit a global (.com) or just the UK market (.co.uk). Whether you wish to be associated with a particular region of the country, or you want to go global, choose the TLD that gives you the most clout!
Branding is vital. When better to define it than when you’re just starting out? After starting a business and watched many others do the same, we’ve learnt a few things. Combining this knowledge with our experience as digital designers and marketers, we want to help as best we can.
So, if you’re taking your first steps on your business journey and need a little more advice on some of the steps you need to take, then get in touch! However, you do so — by phone, LinkedIn, email or through our wonderful website. We look forward to hearing from you!
