Research Before You Launch Your Business and Even After That...
From time to time I have a client whom I have to say this to: "you're not your client".
What this statement implies in business and branding as a whole is that as business owners or intending ones people often assume that they know what their clients want/need and how they think or feel. They place themselves in the role of the client and build their brand based on this.
This is one of the worst risks to take as a startup or an existing business.
You need to do as much research as you can. You need to ask questions, meet people, check out tons of stuff online and then get a clear direction on the path you must take. This applies to everything from the logo, brand name and brand communication modules you adopt, to even your packaging. Do the research. Even colours you use matter more than you think.
Sometimes as a designer you could meet a client who has a child centered brand that actually has to do with engaging kids a lot and the colour they want is black.
You tell them black is extremely rare in use, not advisable for their brand and that it should be substituted with colours that depict excitement, vibrancy and "coolness". These colours play on the mind (colour psychology) and people (kids especially) will be more drawn to them than black. After all that's why children's books are often so colourful.
You tell them there's orange, yellow, blue, etc.
Sadly not all will listen and they insist on having their way and it affects their business. They say it is black because they like black and that's that. You see my point right?
So as a business owner, if you're doing the work yourself or you hired a business consultant and brand identity designer (Hint! Hint!) don't place yourself in the role of the clients/consumers you're after. Be sure, listen to your consultant/designer and get the best for yourself.
Research properly as it will save you from loads of embarrassment. if somewhere down the line you find your logo is something someone already is using, or your slogan and anything else about your business is exactly similar to another's or like a certain business I won't name, your brand name has a meaning that connotes prostitution.
Do the research. …
YOU'LL WANT TO GIVE UP SOMETIMES IN BUSINESS
Some students from my class have been saying it's hard. Some have complained about clients and inconsistency in a lot of things. Some of them have wanted to give up. Those are the ones I know can go the distance, if they stick with it. Oddly enough I told them to expect this. Whether you're the sole founder or co-founder, it doesn't matter. You're going to get here.
You see when you're at the end of your rope or close to it, I know you've been pushing. I know you've been trying hard. People think being an entrepreneur is easy and anyone can do it. This is a false statement and an oversimplification of things. Being an entrepreneur is one of the hardest things ever, most especially in the formative years. If it's easy then you're probably doing it wrong or someone else is doing the work for you.
No matter the amount of research you do, product testing, refining and brand development, there's a place where you just have to sit down and ride it out, hoping your schematic works. There are no gimmicks for this phase. It will come down to how well you've prepared and done your homework and then how much staying power you have.
You're going to have tough it out, focusing on showing people the value of your products and keeping your brand communication steady and sound. Don't give up. As long as your product is meeting a need and it is working, you need to stick by it.
Give it time.
If you don't, you'll likely start another start up that also gets to this phase and then you drop it again. See how much time and resources go wasted?
A lot of people don't teach you this. They make it sound like you start a business, people like it, you do some posts, Facebook adverts and blog ads then boom: ten million a day.
Believe that and you're in trouble. You'll likely give up within the first quarter of your start up.
There's an unavoidable "waiting period" in business. You're not idle but you are watching your brand grow steadily from where it is, as you constantly work.
Build patiently