Creating a Brand for a Small Arts or Crafts Business
Creating a Brand for a Small Arts or Crafts Business
by Shalana (funkyfelter)
We live in such an advertising based society that it has made me think about the importance of branding for the little guy in business for him or herself - specifically the artists and crafters out there like myself. My professional background is graphic design, and I now teach computer design courses for a local college. We cover visual identities, branding, and logos in my classes, but it seems to always be geared toward the large corporate businesses. This is understandable in a text book, but creating a visual identity, or brand, is certainly not just for the giants of industry.
It is very important that any size business put a professional face to the public. After all, you are likely competing with some of those giants of industry that have very large wads of cash in their pockets to advertise and market with. Something as simple as having a logo and creating a "brand" for yourself can really put your small business ahead. Whether you sell your handcrafted goods online, at craft fairs, in retail boutiques, or all of the above, you will in part be remembered solely by your logo and brand. Yes, that's right; we live in a commercialized visual society so make yourself memorable.
When I started selling my handmade felted goods almost a year ago now, I wasn't really thinking about it being a business. I had done freelance graphic design work for several years and considered that my small business focus. I honestly didn't think that my felt making could make an income worth being called a small business, but it is, it really is! I feel very, very blessed to be pursuing my two passions for a career - teaching graphic design and fiber art. That being said, I quickly realized that I needed to create a brand. I'm a trained graphic artist so that in itself was a substantial help, but anyone can do little things to present themselves professionally and market their small art/craft business like a pro.
It all really starts with making your brand, or as many see it, creating a logo for yourself. First you'll need a business name. This may already be established, it may be your own name, or it may be something that you need to think about. A good name is important, but the presentation of that name can be even more important. Next you'll want to develop a logo for your business name. This can be a visual or graphic element, it can include text, or it can be text or initials all by themselves. Also, you'll want to consider what spirit that you want it to portray. Do you want to be seen as sophisticated and high-end or quirky and fun (my personal choice!)? The possibilities are endless. You may need to sit down and list some key words to describe your business so that you can truly narrow down the look that your going for. If all of this intimidates you, then there are many wonderful freelance designers out there that would be happy to help you create a logo and get your brand started. Their services have a wide price range depending on the professional that you choose so be sure to ask ahead of time for their fees and range of services. Also, get references and ask to see a portfolio or examples of past work.
Well, that's the first few steps on the road to creating a brand for your small business. Once you've chosen a name and developed a logo, you can press on to creating a visual identity for yourself - a brand. In the coming weeks, I plan to share a few posts with you about how I've gone about doing this. For instance, I've developed a website, made labels and product cards with my logo, established an online presence, and there is much, much more to be done. I know that there are many more knowledgeable, well-established artists and crafters who have much more well-developed brands, but hopefully, I can share a little with you about what I'm doing and still learning to do.
About Shalana: I'm a fiber artist specializing in traditional and modern felt making techniques. I have a bachelor of fine art degree in graphic arts and also work as a freelance designer occasionally. My day job is teaching college level graphic arts courses for a local college which I really enjoy, but my artistic passions are fiber arts and felt making among many other crafty endeavors.
Website: www.thefunkyfelter.com
by Shalana (funkyfelter)
We live in such an advertising based society that it has made me think about the importance of branding for the little guy in business for him or herself - specifically the artists and crafters out there like myself. My professional background is graphic design, and I now teach computer design courses for a local college. We cover visual identities, branding, and logos in my classes, but it seems to always be geared toward the large corporate businesses. This is understandable in a text book, but creating a visual identity, or brand, is certainly not just for the giants of industry.
It is very important that any size business put a professional face to the public. After all, you are likely competing with some of those giants of industry that have very large wads of cash in their pockets to advertise and market with. Something as simple as having a logo and creating a "brand" for yourself can really put your small business ahead. Whether you sell your handcrafted goods online, at craft fairs, in retail boutiques, or all of the above, you will in part be remembered solely by your logo and brand. Yes, that's right; we live in a commercialized visual society so make yourself memorable.
When I started selling my handmade felted goods almost a year ago now, I wasn't really thinking about it being a business. I had done freelance graphic design work for several years and considered that my small business focus. I honestly didn't think that my felt making could make an income worth being called a small business, but it is, it really is! I feel very, very blessed to be pursuing my two passions for a career - teaching graphic design and fiber art. That being said, I quickly realized that I needed to create a brand. I'm a trained graphic artist so that in itself was a substantial help, but anyone can do little things to present themselves professionally and market their small art/craft business like a pro.
It all really starts with making your brand, or as many see it, creating a logo for yourself. First you'll need a business name. This may already be established, it may be your own name, or it may be something that you need to think about. A good name is important, but the presentation of that name can be even more important. Next you'll want to develop a logo for your business name. This can be a visual or graphic element, it can include text, or it can be text or initials all by themselves. Also, you'll want to consider what spirit that you want it to portray. Do you want to be seen as sophisticated and high-end or quirky and fun (my personal choice!)? The possibilities are endless. You may need to sit down and list some key words to describe your business so that you can truly narrow down the look that your going for. If all of this intimidates you, then there are many wonderful freelance designers out there that would be happy to help you create a logo and get your brand started. Their services have a wide price range depending on the professional that you choose so be sure to ask ahead of time for their fees and range of services. Also, get references and ask to see a portfolio or examples of past work.
Well, that's the first few steps on the road to creating a brand for your small business. Once you've chosen a name and developed a logo, you can press on to creating a visual identity for yourself - a brand. In the coming weeks, I plan to share a few posts with you about how I've gone about doing this. For instance, I've developed a website, made labels and product cards with my logo, established an online presence, and there is much, much more to be done. I know that there are many more knowledgeable, well-established artists and crafters who have much more well-developed brands, but hopefully, I can share a little with you about what I'm doing and still learning to do.
About Shalana: I'm a fiber artist specializing in traditional and modern felt making techniques. I have a bachelor of fine art degree in graphic arts and also work as a freelance designer occasionally. My day job is teaching college level graphic arts courses for a local college which I really enjoy, but my artistic passions are fiber arts and felt making among many other crafty endeavors.
Website: www.thefunkyfelter.com
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Harold Cheetham on
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very interesting and true. my question to you is how about when a crafter makes more than one type of craft, say jewelry and some other items, how do you choose something that fits that scenario.do you think it is better to usee your own name or come up with a business name. I use New York Country Crafts simply because i make different types of crafts and live in New York state.. Thought about using my name or initials but didnt think it would be remembered by my customers. what do you think gets most noticed a persons name or a business name?
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Permalink Reply by Kara Hartz on
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I'm reading "Duct Tape Marketing" right now. It's aimed at small business and also stresses the importance of branding, and makes some similar points to this. I highly reccomend it for anyone looking for more info.
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Permalink Reply by Shalana, thefunkyfelter on
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Hello Harold, in reply to your question, I think that in a scenario where an artist/crafter makes several types of items, they can either choose an all-encompassing business name as you have done or go by their designer name. Although, one must consider if their actual name is distinct and memorable enough to make the desired impact as a designer business name. If we really think about it realistically, most names independently may not stand alone well or market well. For a broad example, Modonna and Cher are known for many reasons, but they also have unique names which I think helps. In other words, if your name isn't a little catchy, I would suggest choosing a unique all-encompassing business name. Also, choosing a business name without the use of your own name, gives an added measure of privacy. A business name doesn't have to be based on geographic location, as you have chose, but it certainly can be. It really needs to be something that you like, can relate to or make a connection with, and are comfortable with representing you and your arts/crafts endeavors. I would also suggest that it is something that is not based solely on trends - after all, trends come and go and come again, but you want your business to be lasting and consistent over time.
Ultimately, an artists/crafters business success will be based on what is done with the name chosen and the uniqueness and quality of their work. It is also very important to push to establish and market whatever name you choose. Even if you have an awesome business name, it doesn't really matter if you don't advertise it enough so that buyers can find you. Choosing a name is just the first step to a wonderful journey of establishing your business. I also wanted to say that studio ala mode made some very good points in her post regarding a nice explanatory tag line and the importance of a recognizable logo.
I plan to develop this article into a small series on my blog over the Fall and Winter months so please stay tuned for some more tips that will, hopefully, be helpful. Thanks to all who posted for reading my intro article!
--Shalana
http://www.thefunkyfelter.com
http://thefunkyfelter.blogspot.com
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Permalink Reply by Kathy Crabbe on -
Thanks for sharing - I love everything you're doing and I'm taking notes and learning, learning, learning!
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Permalink Reply by elizabethjayne on -
I'm looking forward to the series you develop - this is a really good start. I think a lot of people bypass the importance of brand recognition, partially from a lack of awareness and partially because it can be hard to pin down what "brand" they want to be.
Thanks again Shalana! (and yes, I remember your av from the Etsy forums ;) )
~ elizabethjayne
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