Spencer Woods - Big Box

My business recently celebrated its 7th birthday and we've been through a lot in those 7 years. We've weathered the storms of the pandemic and subsequent global recession, Brexit and a cost of living crisis. Yet somehow we've come through, grown the team and taken on bigger, more exciting projects. It's taken a bit of grit (and a lot of luck), but I also put it down to building a consistent brand.

So what makes a brand? When people come to us for branding work, they often want to talk about colours and logos. Which is great, I get the excitement! But branding is about so much more than pretty pictures. It's often an exercise in storytelling, finding the 'why' of the business beyond making money.

I'm lucky enough to have started a business with two friends from school, and I was surprised when we started the business that people really liked to hear that. They'd often spend more time asking about our friendship than looking at our portfolio.

But why? Well, there's a lot to be said for a good story. It let people know where we'd come from and our reason for being. It gave us a point of differentiation that helped us stand out, and perhaps even a hint of our values as a company: maintaining a friendship over decades showed them that we were committed, consistent and authentic.

After that first meeting, every time that person saw our logo, they didn't just think "nice design". They thought "that’s the 3 school friends who started a company to make people look better". And that's branding. Not just creating a nice image for the eye, but an image in a person's mind of who you are, what you stand for and the experience of working with you.

People often ask, "Well, isn't that the same as marketing?" I like to think of it like this: marketing is asking someone out on a date, branding is the reason they say yes. Successful marketing puts you out there, successful branding is what makes that connection.

Now, not every business is going to be the next Apple or Amazon, and that's OK. We're based in Cornwall, where small businesses are the backbone of the economy, and anyone who manages to pay the bills should give themselves a pat on the back in these tough times. So how should small businesses start thinking more about their brand?

Well, first I'd look at your Purpose: your reason for being and the problem you're solving for your customers. What's your story that makes you unique and what pain point are you addressing to make people's lives a little better? What do you contribute and what is the impact for the customer?

Then think about your Personality. Are you informal or formal? Humorous or serious? Are your customers motivated by passion or performance?  Emotions or logic?

Once you've started to get that authentic self down, you'll be in a much better position to think about how you present yourself. If you align your visual identity with a clear Purpose and Personality, you'll create something that really resonates with people. That's what builds trust and lasting relationships with customers. It's not just about looks. It's about the real connections you make.