‘I promise’ is a powerful statement. It shows more than intent; it’s a live-or-die statement that shows you can be trusted with anything. So why do so many small business owners mess it up? Promises are tricky things. Promise too little and your offer falls on deaf ears. Too much and it becomes impossible to [...]
Who do you work with again? If you thought the words ‘anyone’ or ‘everyone’ at any point in your answer, you’ve fallen down the biggest pit in branding. And it’s a pit that’s absolutely filled to the brim with good intentions. Who you work with is important to your brand identity. But business owners struggle [...]
That logo you spent ages designing? It needs to be more than pretty. Great logos don’t just explain what you do; they help audiences identify you from your competition. They’re important parts of a brand identity, but they can’t correct unclear positioning. The best logos are a manifestation of well-defined brand identity. The launch of [...]
I’ve always had an odd relationship with risk. As someone who plays a lot of strategic games, I like to think that I’ve got a sense for weighing up outcomes and probability. I’ve got a fairly impressive win rate when it comes to board games and wargames (much to the annoyance of my friends), which [...]
Storytelling is the spark that brings your brand to life. While clever taglines and pretty visuals attract attention, the real connective tissue of your brand is the stories you weave. These are more than fantastic tales or epic sagas; they’re the best tools for building an emotional connection with your audience. The problem is, small [...]
‘Branding just isn’t as useful for small businesses.’ It’s a lie I hear people tell themselves all the time - one of many common brand misconceptions I encounter. But I get it. It feels like it should be true. It’s certainly perpetuated enough to feel like it is. Branding can get a bad rep. It’s [...]
Have you ever been in a shieldwall? I have. There’s something people don’t tell you when you’re standing in a line of clattering armour and bracing for an enemy charge. Just how easy it would be to turn and run. But you also don’t need to be told what happens if you do: the entire [...]
There’s nothing better than a good first impression. When a brand creates a great first impression, it makes every step to the sale far easier. Creating a great impression from the outset requires you to be bold, resonant and unforgettable. A glance that stops a scroll. A feeling of something refined. The whisper that tells [...]
One of the biggest struggles small business owners face is maintaining a consistent brand identity. Most aren’t struggling because of bad products or services, but because their brand feels like a moving target. It might be polished and sleek one day, then bubbly and fun the next. And that inconsistency is driving potential clients away [...]
One of my most frequent queries is about creating a balanced colour palette. And it’s not hard to see why. Most business owners know that colour is important in their branding - even when they aren’t sure exactly why. And they’re right - colour choice is vital for your brand in many ways. A brand’s [...]