I hope you learned a lot from our #BrandingSeries in October. I was certainly thrilled looking at the site statistics and seeing so many new people visiting from various parts of the world and subscribing to MBC blog. This means you find value in our content and that's all we want.
This month MBC also celebrated Black History Month by giving 20% off all services to any black business who approached us for a service. October is not over yet and just before you get ready to carve your pumpkins, I'd like to present to you 3 super successful black business owners who know a lot about branding. Read about their business journey and the advice they have to give you.
Tobi Samuel - Design Droids
1. What is your business about?
Design Droids provide digital services such as web design, graphic design, branding, app design, eCommerce solutions, hosting and support.
2. When did you start your business?
I have worked as a developer and designer since 2010 as part of different companies and as a freelancer, but Design Droids as a brand was started in 2013.
3. What was the biggest challenge you encountered during the branding process of your business?
Branding Design Droids came easy to me and my business partner as both of us had worked for years in the industry and teamed up on numerous projects long before Design Droids became official. Such scenario definitely helps for smoothening the process of defining the brand identity. However, being perfectionists, we spent long hours overlooking every single detail about the logo and the theme colours to make sure it just can't be done any better.
4. How did you decide on your brand name, colours, logo?
We are hardworking individuals who work around the clock to satisfy our clients and we are also Star Wars fans (geek alert). Robots sounded like the best way to describe our attributes, hence the term Droids. Also, our primary colours (black and red) signify passion, fire, power, strength and determination of the Droids.
5. What is the most common branding mistake you’ve seen other businesses do?
Brands without identity – companies whose branding bear no correlation with their attributes as an organisation.
6. What’s your best piece of branding advice?
Do not choose artworks and colours because they look pleasing to the eyes, seek professional help to evaluate, assess and appraise your services with your attributes as an organisation.
website: www.designdroids.com
TW: @design_droids
Dauda Barry - Adama
1. What is your business about?
Adama Robotics designs, produces and sells educational robotics kits and a proprietary visual programming language called AdamaScript. The robotics kits are equipped with a full range of unique and comprehensive concepts aimed at developing and nurturing an interest in robotics and artificial intelligence. They teach the user foundations and principles of robotics, computer science, artificial intelligence and engineering through its active involvement in learning approach. Our mission is to reduce the digital division one robot at a time.
2. When did you start your business?
We established our brand in May 2016.
3. What was the biggest challenge you encountered during the branding process of your business?
How to come up with a simple logo which would convey our ethos.
4. How did you decide on your brand name, colours, logo?
The name Adama is a combination of the name of the founders. The DaMa part are the first two letters of the name of the founders: Da from Dauda and Ma from Mahadi.
We decided to add the A in the beginning so that the business would come up first in business listings. The Robotics part represents our industry and it makes SEO more efficient.
5. What is the most common branding mistake you’ve seen other businesses do?
Not being socially and culturally sensitive to their customers.
6. What’s your best piece of branding advice?
Make it unique and simple.
Website: www.adamarobotics.com
Jessica Brown - Kangari Brokers
1. What is your business about?
Kangari Brokers focuses on financial education and it is also a trading solution provider.
2. When did you start your business?
We officially launched the brand in July 2017, just a few months ago, but we have already seen incredible interest and progress.
3. What was the biggest challenge you encountered during the branding process of your business?
We faced quite a few challenges. First we needed to find the right name to get the attention of our target audience and then make sure that what we've chosen is actually available as a domain name. We also spent quite a lot of time trying to come up with a good slogan that sends the right message to our ideal customers. We were aware that we can't go through the whole branding process ourselves, so we had to set a budget and find someone who shared, or at least understood correctly our vision to help us with what we couldn't accomplish.
4. How did you decide on your brand name, colours, logo?
We wanted to build an online trading platform for African traders so the name had to reflect on that. The colours had to be fresh and represent a new dawn. The logo had to show we are strong and the best animal to symbolise that was a lion with an arrow, showing upward movement for all our clients and users of the platform.
5. What is the most common branding mistake you’ve seen other businesses do?
A mismatch where the logo and the slogan send the wrong message. Also lack of research to see if the the colours, logo and slogan are consistent with the company vision and mission.
A common and big mistake is to choose the wrong website domain. Your domain is everything. And that domain should be one of the first things you need to acquire before doing anything in today’s society (if you are going to be an online business).
Many businesses tend to overlook the quality of the content. It could be a crucial mistake. I believe it needs to be looked over by a professional to make sure you are using the right words for your business. Buzz words is key for SEO and website ranking so don't slack on it.
6. What’s your best piece of branding advice?
I have a few and I think all of them are important.
Take time to do market and branding research before going ahead with anything. Have a good project plan with a set deadline.
Avoid cutting on necessary corners because you will end up with the wrong logo, website and message.
Read blogs on what people have done in the past and brought them success and copy the best practices you have seen.
Look at your competitors websites and market presence as a whole and make sure you stand out from them and aim to outdo them.
Last not least, get professional to help with your branding. Especially with text, logo and website design.
Website: https://www.kangaribrokers.com/
Once again, I have nothing to add, apart from the fact we are ready to help you if you need us!
Comentários