I Thought My Logo Was My Brand... I Was Wrong

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 3 Things Small Business Owners Often Get Wrong About Branding (And What To Do Instead)

When I started my handmade business, I did what most small business owners do — I made a logo, picked a few colors I liked, and curated a pretty Instagram feed.

Boom. Branding done, right?

Not even close.

A order that changed my life

Over time (and many, many mistakes later), I realized that branding goes much deeper than just visuals. It’s not just about what people see — it’s about what they feel.

So whether you’re just starting out or trying to rebrand your small business, here are three branding mistakes I made — and what I wish I knew instead:

1. Mistaking visuals for your entire brand

Don’t get me wrong — design matters. A cohesive visual identity builds recognition. But branding isn’t only about how you look. It’s about the full experience your customer has with you.

  • The tone you use in captions and emails

  • The care you put into packaging

  • The emotions your unboxing experience creates

  • The kind of values you consistently represent

Your brand lives in the feeling people get when they buy from you.
If your visuals are polished but your customer journey feels disconnected, that’s where trust breaks down.

🔑 What to do instead:
Ask yourself, “What do I want people to say about my brand when I’m not in the room?” Then build everything — from visuals to copy to customer care — around that.

2. Copying bigger brands instead of owning your story

In the beginning, I found myself mimicking how larger brands talked. I thought sounding formal or corporate would make me look “professional.”

Spoiler: It just made me sound… generic.

What I learned is that the biggest strength of a small business is its personality. Your audience wants to buy from you — your journey, your quirks, your values, your vision.

You are the most unique thing about your brand.

🔑 What to do instead:
Embrace your individuality. Don’t worry about sounding polished. Sound real. People connect with authenticity more than perfection.

3. Being inconsistent — visually and emotionally

If you’re switching color palettes every month, changing your tone of voice constantly, or making your packaging look totally different each time — customers start to feel unsure.

Confusion → lack of trust → no sale.

Consistency is what makes people go,
“Oh, I know this brand!” even before they see your name.

🔑 What to do instead:
Create simple brand guidelines for yourself. Define your core colors, fonts, tone, and values. Stick to them for at least 3–6 months before making changes.

The Truth About Branding as a Small Biz Owner

It’s not something you “do once” and tick off your to-do list.

Branding is a living, breathing process. It grows with you — as your values evolve, as your customers change, as your confidence builds.

It took me time, trial, and tears to figure this out — and if you're in the messy middle, I want you to know you're not alone.

🪄 You don’t need a design degree.
🪄 You don’t need a 50-page brand book.
🪄 You just need clarity, consistency, and heart.

Which mistake hit home for you?

Have you made (or fixed) any of these before? Drop your thoughts in the comments — I’d love to hear your journey.

And if you're a fellow handmade business owner figuring out your branding step by step — I see you. You're doing amazing.


Signing off
Yukti
Owner
Artist_her
Location: India

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