Starting Up In Business
Mark Squires
We provide creative support services for businesses, including website design, build and maintenance, artwork for marketing materials, packaging, exhibition stands, signage, livery, and social media content creation.
Setting up in business for yourself is one of the most significant decisions you will ever make. For most of us, the moment of truth comes when we make the transition from working for someone else to working for ourselves. Nothing quite prepares you for the first day when you are working for yourself. There is absolutely no substitute for knowing that you are your own boss at last. But, if it's going to be a success, you need to get your branding right from the start.
Preparation is everything if your business is going to become a viable reality. The relationships you form with customers and suppliers in the first years are the foundations of your reputation, and this is where first impressions count the most. Be it on the side of a vehicle, a business card or website; when you have taken the time to get your branding right, it speaks volumes to your customers. The public face of your business, online or in the real world, is your shop window; you want it looking appealing, professional and welcoming.
If you are starting up and have not yet named your business, we can help you make the right choices from the word go. Our mantra is straightforward; make the name of your business memorable and relevant. The same rule applies to your strap-line, which is a winning combination of words that gives your customers a little more detail. Get your business name and strap-line right from the start, and they will be your friends for years.
Choose a name that is snappy, easy to remember and available as a .co.uk and .com domain name. It will help those all-important searches on Google, and word-of-mouth recommendations work for you. Those same principles can be applied just as easily to your social media channels, and that is where every business needs to be in today's digital world. A strap-line can be challenging, but the trick is to keep it concise and, most importantly, accurate. Your strap-line will develop over time, but when starting out, simplicity is the key to success.
Small businesses and start-ups with good business sense know that they cannot afford a poor-looking brand. Sadly, many sole traders immediately dismiss the idea of hiring a design agency because they think it is unaffordable. Good business sense, nonetheless, tells us that we do not reject ideas without first doing some research. Do not be put off. Nobody buys everything all at once. This is a step by step process by which we build your brand so that it expands naturally with your business. Investing in a design package which includes logo, business cards, website and vehicle livery could be less than you would comfortably spend on a one-off holiday.
What do design agencies actually do? We cannot speak for anyone else, but at Fine Design we offer a complete service. We can help you choose a name for your company and develop your brand consistently through all media as needed. This can include your website, social media, literature, signage, vehicle livery, exhibitions, packaging and any future media.
During the early stages of building your business, those first impressions really count. Get your brand right in the beginning, and it will pay dividends for years to come. Combined with your own skill at what you do, a strong brand will build the one commodity that money cannot buy – trust. Building trust means solid foundations and preparations. And that is where Fine Design can help.