What’s in a Brand? A Lot More Than Just a Name and a Logo

Developing brand-name recognition and a company logo are way down on the priority lists of harried entrepreneurs. But experts say it’s a necessity for companies of any size in today’s market. Small-business consultant Paul O’Reilly and marketing designer Jeffrey M. Natkin answer questions about the expense and aesthetics of branding.

Times: What are small companies missing if they avoid the time and expense of developing brands?

O’Reilly: They’re missing out on the ability to define themselves, who they are, what they do, what they stand for and who they want as their customers. If they don’t project any particular image, they won’t be able to distinguish themselves from their competitors, and customers won’t find them, remember them or choose them again next time.

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Times: What is a brand?

O’Reilly: It’s everything that creates the image of your company and makes your customers remember you. It’s not just art or logos or typefaces or a catchy slogan. It’s all that plus your interactions with your clients, the reports you write, what you and your employees wear, whether you show up on time, your reputation for quality or speed or fair price and many other things. Branding is not just for big corporations, like Nabisco or Exxon, it’s for every business.

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Times: How does an entrepreneur on a budget get started developing a brand?

O’Reilly: The most basic step is choosing a name for your company and sticking with it. Sounds simple, but a lot of firms go through many names over the years, and they don’t consistently project just one. Obviously, this gets very confusing for their customers.

Natkin: They should be using the same company name on everything, all the time: Business cards, Web site, invoices, letterhead, fliers, brochures, trucks.

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Times: What about graphic design, typefaces and logos? Does a small business need something flashy, and if so, how much will it cost?

Natkin: There is such a wide range available that there’s something at virtually every price point, for every company. You can pick a typeface, colors and print style for your company name and have your materials printed at Kinko’s for a nominal cost. If you can spare around $1,500, or you have services you can barter, you can hire a commercial designer to work with you on a professional logo with a symbol or picture that highlights what you do.

Whether you’re on your own or working with a designer, choose a look that reflects your product or service and appeals to your target market. For instance, someone selling luxury items wouldn’t pick a kicky, bright logo, alternative typeface and business cards printed on their home computer, but someone selling teen clothing might do very well with that look.

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Times: What advice would you give entrepreneurs who worry that they don’t know what looks good and what doesn’t?

Natkin: At a minimum, make your company brand neat and competent, so it inspires a sense of professionalism and confidence. Choose one or two colors if you can’t afford more.

O’Reilly: Talk to your customers or do a survey and find out what they like about your company and what they remember about it. That should give you a sense of what makes your firm distinctive, so you can capitalize on that and repeat it in your branding.

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Times: How does one go about choosing a commercial graphic designer?

Natkin: Ask around and get recommendations from colleagues and competitors. Then meet with several candidates to discuss your company and your branding needs. The best candidates will ask a lot of questions about your target market, your image, where you fit among your competitors and who you are. You want to choose a designer who is fully cognizant that this is practical, functional art--not fine art or a chance to express themselves creatively. You want to steer clear of designers who do not have firm connections to the marketplace.

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Times: What does an entrepreneur do with a brand name and logo once it is developed? How long should he or she use the same brand?

Natkin: Stick with it for the long term and carry it through to everything you do--including your Web site. Repetition is very important. You may get tired of the same look and colors and positioning because you see it hundreds of times a day, but your customers don’t. You want to establish your brand image in your customers’ minds.

O’Reilly: You are asking your customers to learn something about your company and then remember it. You want it to become familiar and comfortable to your clients. If you change it on them, you’ll be damaging all the work you’ve done.

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If you have a question about how to start or operate a small business, mail it to Karen E. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 1333 S. Mayflower Ave., Suite 100, Monrovia, CA 91016, or e-mail it to kklein6349@aol.com. Include your name, address and telephone number. This column is designed to answer questions of general interest. It should not be construed as legal advice.