Kraft just announced its fourth logo in four years. Olive Garden spent big money changing their “When You’re Here, You’re Family” slogan to “Go Olive Garden.” Sure, sometimes necessity dictates that you give your brand a facelift, but wouldn’t it save you money, time, energy and stress to brand yourself well in the first place?
To grow beyond a one-man, one-product shop, your business should begin with a strong foundation. Business owners who commit the cardinal sin of shortsightedness in branding endanger their company’s longevity and relevance. A dated logo can cause a prospect to rethink their purchase. A limiting tagline excludes customers and restricts company growth. The lack of an online corporate presence sends prospects on the web straight into competitors’ arms.
corporate clairvoyance
Begin your business the right way from the start by asking yourself a couple of key questions to ensure that you don’t get caught in a costly redesign or rebranding initiative down the road.
- What about my logo is timeless?
- Will my tagline be relevant years from now? Why or why not?
- Who is my current customer? How will my company still answer their needs in 25 years?
- What is the potential to grow the services or products I create for customers?
- Could my logo and tagline have relevance if my product or service line evolves?
- Is my branding consistent online and offline?
- Does my brand look just like everyone else’s or is it distinctive?
harder than it looks
Branding may seem simple – it’s supposed too – but it’s harder than it looks. Don’t approach your corporate identity lightheartedly. This is one of the most important parts of your business. With luck and a lot of hard work, your business will thrive, grow and become a household name, but without the correct company brand in place, your growth will be restricted by limitations you invented yourself.