Personalised work wear has a big impact on your business, especially when viewed through the eyes of your customers/potential customers. They need to feel confident that you are bona fide business and one that is prepared to invest in looking professional as well as delivering on professionalism.

Here are a few other reasons to consider branded work wear:

• It's a walking advert – looking respectable with your business logo and details makes it easier to connect with people who are out and about.  
• You will stand out and be remembered for looking smart vs those who don't give a thought to their work appearance.  
• Consistency across your business is motivating - especially when your branding / logo resonates across your business – stationery, vehicles, website, social media etc.  
• Businesses that wear their brand on their sleeve so to speak give the impression that they care and more trustworthy.

Having recently worked with Jace Peacock-Reid of Innate Form Photographic & Design, www.facebook.com/innateform for my own new logo, I was keen to get his thoughts on branded worked wear.

• 90% of all information that enters the brain is practically non-verbal.
• 93% of all human communication is non verbal.

With these two statistics alone we can see how important it is to include visual aids to reinforce your business marketing.

I'm sure you have been in a shop, or somewhere that you needed specific assistance with a product or service. The company logo worn by staff members immediately enables you to determine who works in the shop and who is a customer. This is an example of non-communicated information, achieved by carefully designed corporate colours and/or logos worn by the staff.

Our brains are continuously scanning for information and most of the time we are not even aware of this process, so its important to have your company logo designed with such elements as colour, size, detail, overall impression and positioning on the garment.

It is important to ask others for their opinions on your proposed logo to see if it gives the impression you want. Something as subtle as a colour shading could make a huge difference to your customers.

Businesses, if you are looking to improve the professional look of your business in front of customers with branded work wear you need to be chatting with Julia Corlett of Mother Goose Embroidery. Mother Goose Embroidery are able to supply and personalise a whole range of work wear to help your business stand out. Please visit their website www.mothergooseembroidery.com or their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mothergooseembroidery/ or email them directly at jcorlett@orange.fr

Yours socially
Micala 

I recently wrote a blog about some considerations small business owners should make when developing their personal brand. A personal brand is hugely important when starting out, a well nurtured personal brand goes along way to supporting your business brand. I also made a suggestion that during the early days focusing on a logo is not a must do and that at some point your business may warrant one.

Recently I had a great conversation with a fellow business owner in France who wanted some advice on developing his business, which I was more than happy to do. The amazing thing about the world of business, is that you just don't know who knows who and I was having a chat with the nephew of a great friend back in the UK, Jace Peacock-Reid.

Jace lives and works in France and I was already a fan of his Facebook page www.facebook.com/innateformweddings and love his style that flows seamlessly through his photographic work. With website and graphic design now part of his repertoire, these skills certainly complement his photography work - www.facebook.com/innateform

It was during our exploratory conversation that there was a real connection, what you see in Jace's photographic work conveys in conversation too. I felt there was a cosmic alignment that meant it felt right for Jace to explore a logo for my business.

I took this opportunity to look at how my business had developed over the last 4 years since moving to France. My business is about marketing through social media, but there are many other facets of running a business that lend themselves naturally to marketing. I am passionate about helping fellow small business owners in France. Having been self employed in the UK before moving to France and understanding a lot of principles and skills needed to run a business, I am very aware of the frustrations that are part and parcel of setting up a business in France, getting business on board and maintaining awareness.

For me, the glass is always half full or filling up and I see challenges as opportunities, that have silver linings. I have no qualms in sharing what I know with people. It is important that people can work towards success and it is very fulfilling to help shape or contribute to that success. I have my fair share of challenges as a small business owner and have my weaknesses too but I don't let them get in the way of what can be achieved. My motto is always no point worrying about it, where there's a will, there's a way and give the problem the mental energy that is needed to overcome it.

I also love nature. One of the reasons I love living here in France... it's full of trees. I love looking at them. I love driving through miles of countryside seeing acres of trees. I never get bored of them whatever the season. And when my husband and I purchased a house earlier this year, what a lucky lady I was to have so many of them in the garden. Trees are great teachers. When I explored my logo I wanted the oak tree in particular to be part of that process.
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• Just like a the tree a business needs a roots from which to grow.
• Like trees, patience is required. Your business needs to develop and mature at a pace that is right. Not forced or hurried.
• Trees adapt to the seasons. So must a business. Understand the cycles of your business and adapt accordingly.
• The leaves are your leads. The activity that you do in your business should lead to enquiries and income. Not all activity will do this and like life a leaf will fall away.

The process of finalising my logo was completely different to what I had expected. Little did I know that I would be quite finite on little detail. I have to say at this point, I did ask for some help in fine tuning and I am very glad that I asked for that help. The logo is a personal thing when you are a small business owner – you want it to incorporate you, your business, what you stand for, but at the same time, it needs to appeal to your potential audience. When I asked for reactions to my draft, I was amazed at how a lot of the audience got it, but also how many didn't. Seeing something entirely different to what I wanted to convey. Was that because they don't know me? Or was it because that is literally what they saw? You find yourself getting quite territorial about the logo but at the same time you need to let go and be open minded at the reactions of others.

I focused on the points that resonated with me and what I felt my business stood for, you cannot please every one. Everyone has a different perception, everyone has a different feeling when seeing something. Colour was an important aspect for me. With over 400 shades of green, it had to be the right shade of green and pleasing on the eye and congruent with what you would expect of an oak tree. The acorn had to be right. During draft it lacked a little something... more definition but remain subtle at the same time.

I don't enjoy lingering on things for too long, let me have a bit of choice, but not too much. I like to get to a decision quickly. And so I have rested on this logo. Alacim being Micala back to front.  I am my business, my business is me. 

Yours socially
Micala

The topic of branding is a broad one. There is more to branding than a logo. It's about perception, reputation, energy and attitude through the eyes of existing and potential customers. It's about how you create awareness of you and your business, to get people to know, like, trust and buy from you. Creating a 'brand' that enables you to stand out from your competition and giving the best reason why people should buy from you.

Big brands spend a lot of time and money creating the 'Brand' and we are all familiar with big brand names such as Nike, McDonald's, Apple. But sometimes there is a key ingredient missing, which the smaller business can capitalize on at an early stage of their business... personal branding.

“If you are not branding yourself, you can be sure that others will do it for you”

A good time to focus on the personal aspect of your brand is when you are starting out, and taking the time to nurture and develop it constantly. Your best personal brand will help nurture consumer confidence, trust and loyalty, which supports your overall business brand. You are the brand and the brand is you. You are marketing yourself as well as your business.

Your personal brand is as much about you as your product or service. It is unique to you. What are your values, principles? What do you stand for? What are you known for? What's your vision? Is your personality reflected? Are your strengths included? Is it authentic and true?

Once these have been identified, you can start to shape and manage your personal brand which needs to be conveyed across your business, your website, your literature, your advertising, your social media and every professional and non professional move you make. Perceptions can easily be misconstrued if conveyed in a manner that does not support your brand identity. Everything you do links back to your business.

The small business owner when focused and committed to delivering on their personal branding to their customers in the act of doing business strengthens the branding of their business too. When done continuously and consistently what you do becomes your trademark. Then, if your business warrants a logo, it will incorporate all that you do well. So that when your existing customers see it they know exactly what they are going to be getting. Confirmation of this behaviour through feedback and testimonials and positive perception will provide future customers of what they can expect from you.

Much better to be remembered for the experience that you gave your customer and not just your logo.

Yours socially
Micala