Every company needs a logo and a website. However, it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg and should be considered as an investment that’s just as imperative as the equipment you use to do your job.
I’m a designer, not a writer so I’m not going to be waffling on about why you should get your logo and website up and out there asap but I will try my best to sum it up using an example of how good branding is vitally important.
Let’s start with Danny and Paul. Both are Tilers, both excellent at their job, both are taking the big plunge into starting up and working for themselves. Their customer care, attention to detail, knowledge of the industry and attitude to succeed are identical… almost.
Danny understands the necessity of a good logo and visits a design agency to see what they can do and within his budget.
Paul doesn’t think a logo is a priority and anyway, Paul’s wife’s friend, once chose the colour scheme of her living room and therefore knows a thing about design because she has a Mac at home and will do it for him as a favour.
Whilst at the design agency, Danny talks to the designers about his business, his abilities and skills. The designers ask him who his target audience is, his likes and dislikes and his competitors. They ask this because they need to know about the personality behind the business, what people will be looking for his services and who he is competing with.
Paul is struggling a little because his wife’s friend hasn’t had time to do his logo yet as she’s been busy but not to worry because as it turns out her son is doing GCSE in pottery so he can draw and he’s going to look at Paul’s logo for him tonight when he gets home from school.
In no time at all, Danny has his new, slick and all round awesome logo created. It stands out amongst his competitors, it uses colour schemes and typography that have been carefully chosen to get a positive response from his target audience and just as importantly, it’s a clear representation of Danny’s personality and positive attitude to his craft.
Paul doesn’t get any of the above but when he gets home he has some nice sketches to chew over that his wife’s friend’s son has drawn and scanned in for him. They have squares on so they sort of look like tiles and he uses a ‘really nice italic script font’ that he found on Word. Paul is unsure but hey, it’s free and it looks alright to him.
Danny’s confidence is high thanks to his new branding. He has his business cards printed, his van signage done and his website and social media online. Danny feels the part as he has invested wisely into his company image and is as keen as mustard with a spring in his step and he’s ready to take on the world.
Paul is having a little bit of trouble getting his cards printed because the printer can’t really use a scanned sketch printed at high enough quality to use without it all becoming blurring and pixilated. Unfortunately, Paul’s wife’s friend’s son doesn’t know what else he can do as he only does pottery and he really needs to concentrate on his school work now anyway. He’s sent Paul the logo as a JPEG so that should be good enough… yeah?
When Danny drives to jobs and his van is outside his customer’s house, people can see by his signage and his professionally created logo that Danny is a Tiler and they can see that Danny certainly is no Del Boy as his business looks legit, professional and capable of any job required.
When Paul is at his customers house no one has a clue what he does because he’s still trying to get his logo printed but he’s happy anyway because he’s saved money by not investing in a silly logo.
Danny starts to get approached by his customer’s neighbours who have seen his van and logo. They also want tiling done so he hands them a business card that not only has his contact details on but directs them to his website where they can read about his experience and professionalism, they can read testimonials from happy clients, they can even see case studies of his work.
People still don’t know what Paul does. It’s OK though because Paul has now decided he doesn’t need a website just yet because his mates have said they’ll give him a mention to their friends.
One day, Danny and Paul are working in the same neighbourhood. Danny is tiling a kitchen, two bathrooms and a conservatory. The customer found Danny online, read his testimonials from all of his happy customers, viewed his case studies of his tremendous work and contacted him to work on their beloved home. Paul is tiling a small ensuite for a friend who lives next door to Danny’s latest client.
Whilst out the front of the houses, Danny and Paul get chatting about their work and business in general when another neighbour approaches. Having seen Danny’s van and looked up his website he wants some work done on his house too. Delighted, Danny gives him a business card and arranges to pop in later that day to go through what he wants. Feeling a little put out and slightly intimidated by Danny’s success, Paul casually mentions that he is also a tiler. However, as he still doesn’t have his logo or his business cards, he hastily writes his contact details on a scrap of paper and hands then to the potential new customer.
The new customer is now standing there with two options of who to use. Should it be Danny with the professional branding, website with great case studies and testimonials and a smart business card in his right hand or should it be the other guy who he knows nothing about apart from a scrap of paper in his left hand with a phone number written on. Who would you choose?
Matt Fillery is Director of 1Thirty3 Design