If you’re running your entire business on your own, you’re braver than most people because you’re competing against companies that have full marketing teams, designers, IT specialists, and budgets that could pay your rent for the next 10 years.
And at the same time, there’s you. You’re taking calls from clients and, in between those, you’re tweaking your website. You’re writing a copy at midnight and then thinking of your next marketing campaign, all to make your brand look like it belongs where the big players do.
And this has nothing to do with ego/vanity.
The thing is, customers won’t give your product a chance if they’re not sure you’re legit. And, whether you like it or not, legitimacy usually comes down to perception.
So, how do you pull this off without burning out and without making your brand look like a total newbie?
Let’s see.
Build Authority with Professional Content
If you use tools like
AI voice generator software, you’ll instantly get a better quality of your presentations and pitches.
Professional content is a must because this shows customers and potential business partners that you’re a trusted brand. When you have materials that look and sound polished, you’re no longer a tiny little company anymore; you’re a business. A credible, reliable business.
Written content is a big part of this because blogs and even a simple whitepaper show that you understand your industry and you’re able to communicate it clearly. Then there’s audio and video content, like webinars and explainers, that make your ideas easier to comprehend and give your brand a stronger presence. And even if it’s just a pitch you’re working on, it will still hold more weight if it was built to corporate standards.
Fifteen years ago, you’d need a whole team of people for this, but now, there are digital tools you can use to get almost the same effect. Your blog can become a narrated video, and you can record branded audio with no voice actors whatsoever.
Just make sure you stick to the same fonts and style each time so that your ‘voice’ doesn’t seem like it’s coming from just one person.
How to Create a Cohesive Visual Identity
What you say is important, but what people see is also something you need to keep in mind.
Your
visual identity is what creates the first impression before anyone reads a single word of your copy. If your branding is all over the place, people will assume your business is either small or temporary—or both.
Here’s how to make it all look polished.
Invest in a Good Website
This is the first stop for your potential customers, which means it needs to represent your brand well.
It has to look serious and professional.
Design should be clean,
loading speed has to be fast, and it needs to be optimized for mobile use. And don’t think that these are some perks your visitors will appreciate, it’s all basic expectations now.
Also, be careful with the details like colors and layout.
This tells customers that you put work into the brand (or not), so don’t make it look like a DIY mess.
Make Branding Elements Standard
Consistency is what keeps you memorable, so use the same logo, color palette, fonts, and the style of images literally everywhere. Your website,
social media, presentations, flyers, and everything should look cohesive so people can recognize your brand.
Repetition equals authority, which is why you’ll notice that many big brands feel familiar even if you’ve only seen their logo twice.
Use Professional Photos and Graphics
Your iPhone Pro just won’t cut it here.
Sure, you can still take some great photos with the new iPhone. But in the eyes of clients, you won’t look professional as you would if you had a professional dedicated camera. With just a phone, they won’t take you seriously.
You need professional-level product photos and social media graphics. Grainy photos and/or stock images will instantly make you lose credibility.
Pro tip: Work on one style (same color palette, lighting, the same theme or point of view, same filters, etc.), and use it consistently. It’s much more aesthetically pleasing to see that, plus you’re defining your brand with that, and clients know what to expect, what’s possible at least.
Don’t Forget Templates
Templates make
consistency easy.
They keep everything in sync so that your presentation decks, email signatures, business cards, and posts on social media all follow the same idea. Not only will this make your brand look more professional, but it will also save you a ton of time because you won’t need to do everything from scratch. And ver time, this uniformity will make your
business seem like it’s bigger and more established than it really is.
Conclusion
It’s important to note that you should never outright lie about anything concerning your business, including your size.
But if you want customers to take you seriously, you’ll need to look serious and, luckily, now you know how. The bigger you seem, the more legitimacy you have, and the better your chances are of actually growing into the brand you want to be.
Nobody needs to see the hustle that goes on behind the curtain; they need to see the stage you set. So what if you’re doing it all on your own?
Photo by Hunters Race; Unsplash
