Graphic Designers and Marketing Specialists will tell you to establish your business identity in the marketplace. Branding has become a huge industry with an emphasis on recognizable logos and slogans. But do you need to spend thousands of dollars to stand out among your competition? Let’s look a little deeper into the subject.

Small businesses typically have very limited advertising budgets. Most cannot afford $1,000 per month for print advertising, much less TV or Radio adds. So why spend $2,000 on a logo that few will see? Yes it may look cool, but will it bring in more customers? Will your customers decide to hire you because of your green bullfrog with big red lips? The answer is probably NO, at least not at the beginning of your business development.

Take a stroll through the isles of any store and tell me why you purchased a particular item. Was it because of a logo? It probably had more to do with price unless the manufacture has spent millions of advertising dollars on print and television adds.

For a small business, YOU are your brand!!! People choose you because of your sales and customer service skills. You will only become successful once you are trusted to fulfill your customer’s needs. Your red-lipped bullfrog is not the reason someone stopped by your restaurant. Location and quality of food played a much heavier roll in the decision. So keep your Branding cash and spend it on your advertising.

Ken Bear Cole

A Second Look Business Consulting LLC