Starting your own business is tough, but working for yourself is very rewarding and worth the extra energy! There are tons of things involved in getting your company up and going, but if you have a plan and do your research, you should be all set to do some business in no time.

Some of the most important things to think about are your design elements. Many people don’t realize the importance of design and branding in setting up your company, but they are crucial parts in setting up a business that will withstand time and any economy. Your brand shows your clients who you are, what your values are, and what kind of products or service you’re selling. It needs to be consistent and used in all of your marketing materials so it should be set up from the beginning. Consistency helps show that you’re a trustworthy and dependable business.

Establish your brand and create a logo

Your brand defines who you are and what that style looks like. Your brand takes into account who your audience is and what will target them best. It’s good to talk these things through with a designer and/or marketing guru that knows how to translate these things into imagery. They can help you figure out how to best position your company against your competition. Your logo is extremely important, and will be the foundation that you build everything on. It’s small and yet it defines everything about your company so it needs careful consideration. It also needs to work online and in print.

Get a website

Once you have defined your style and audience, it’s great to get a website up and going. If you need investors or want to start generating interest for your company, it’s great to have a website up to send them to. Your site should be the central hub for all your marketing efforts, it’s the place you should send everyone to from your billboards, postcards, HTML emails, etc. If you’re having an opening house for your new building, send people to your website for more information. Visitors are easily tracked on your site and you can keep posting information to keep them coming and interested.

Create stationary

Stationary is very important as well. Some companies don’t need letterhead and envelopes right away (although it’s a good idea to have them designed and ready for when you need them) but business cards are certainly essential. You’ll want attractive business cards to hand out to potential clients, investors, and networking friends. Although they are small they pack a big punch and can make or break what someone thinks about you.

Other Materials

After you get all of these items together, you can start thinking about other materials that you may need. HTML emails are handy to have, you can email a list of customers monthly to keep your company in the front of their mind, telling them about upcoming events, important specials, announcements, etc. You may also want to think about a blog theme or social media. These allow you to keep generating content and interacting with people that may become clients or referrals in the future. Other print items may be important depending on your business and market. You may need advertisements, postcards, brochures, packaging, or other pieces. It’s important to plan out what you need and start designing early before it’s crunch time.

People will judge your company by every design they see and every interaction they have with you. It’s important that every postcard, advertisement, and website be stunning and deliver your message powerfully and purposefully. You don’t want your customers to see you as a company that doesn’t have the time to thoughtfully consider every aspect of their image, because if you can’t make time for that, they may assume you do not have time for them.