A strong, consistent brand image (which often starts with a well-designed logo) will help you to establish your business. It makes it easier for customers to remember, recognise and recommend you. A great logo should be powerful and easily memorable, making the right impression on your target audience at first glance.

Your logo should be on your website, social media profiles, business card, physical business location (if you have one) and on printed promotional products.

A strong, well-known brand can help you to generate future business, and even increase your business’ value by giving you more leverage in your industry. This makes it a more appealing investment opportunity because of its firmly established place in the marketplace.

A good brand will make it easier for you to win referral business. Strong branding generally means there is a positive impression of your company among consumers, and they are likely to do business with you because of the familiarity and assumed dependability of using a name they can trust.

Once your brand is well-established, word of mouth can become your best and most effective advertising technique.

When an employee works for a company with a well-respected brand, and they genuinely agree with what your brand stands for, they will be more satisfied with their job and have a higher degree of pride in the work that they do.

They’ll feel proud to tell their friends where they work, will feel more confident having your name on their CV, and have a greater sense of belonging (which in turn will make them less likely to be tempted away by your competitors!).

Branding your workplace and creating promotional merchandise for your employees to use can help to reinforce the strength of your brand and the values it stands for.

A professional appearance and well-strategised branding will help you build trust with consumers, potential clients and suppliers.

People are more likely to do business with a company that has a polished and professional brand image. Being properly branded can also give the impression you are industry experts, and help the public to feel as though they can trust your company, the products and services you offer and the way you handle your business.

It’s easier to create strong advertising (and expect better results from it) if you have a strong brand. Advertising can be as big (and expensive!) as TV, press and radio ads, and as strategic as social media ads, competitions, special offers and using promotional products from companies such as Outstanding Branding.