Branding

There are millions of articles on how to carry branding on your business, where and how to display your logo, your name, how to ensure you get exposure with other brands, having the same handle all over the social media platforms… We know that.

But I'm going to go with a different aspect. The VISION, not the actions.

When you decide to open up a new business, right after choosing a colour scheme (we all do that first, no?) you need to decide on the name and behavior you want to show through that name.

Picking the name is the fun part!

Check if the domain name is taken, setting up your new home on the net… But there's a handful of things to consider during the process:

• Spelling: consider avoiding the Z-style (stitchez) or Y-style (stytches). Cute but maybe not forever.
• Meaning: does your brand mean something totally rude in Finnish?
• Made to last: don't pigeonhole yourself as one thing. If you pick one adjective as your brand name, make sure you will be able to reflect it for years to come.
• Pronunciation: if the only people able to pronounce your brand are yourself and the 3 people you met in your Celtic Numerology class, you'll be forever explaining it!
• I AM… Are you completely comfortable with your name being your brand?
• I WILL BE… Do you reckon at one point in time you may want to sell your brand on?

Why rock+purl?

• Because it's not my impossible-to-pronounce last name. (Try in the comments if you wish!)
• Because I love rock music and it's apparent my music discussions are fun for my followers (mostly because my iTunes chooses to do random stuff like playing R&B – I'm a metalhead!!)
• Because you can always rock your knitting into a kickass outfit! And purls rock too!
• Because my market can say rock and can say purl

Branding is also about the way you carry your business.

My patterns are comprehensively written, it's not unlikely for a sock pattern to take over 4 pages, extensive sizing, charts, written instructions, notes on fit, or yarn substitution… I aim to make a product that makes you feel like you can DO this even if it's your first shawl.

Queries from customers are few and far between – could it be that the patterns don't lead to confusion or that my market research was spot on. They do get answered in 48h or less.

I'm active on the net – I look up and comment on people's projects, I answer tweets and comments on Facebook,…

My way of dealing with yarn support and independent dyers has been documented in quite some detail, but if you want to read it again, here you go.

All of these are some my personality traits. I don't like to leave anything ambiguous in what I say. I don't like to be kept waiting so I don't do it onto others. I love feedback and try to give it back. I like help and love to help when I can.

Let me tell you a secret about branding… It's really no different than what your parents told you to do when you were little:

Just be yourself.

In all honesty, it's as easy as that. The only change you need to make to this advice on application to your brand is this:

Just be yourself, but refine it to the field in question.

Which is why you don't hear about my hate for broccoli (and cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts), my really dubious taste for certain movies (I love Center Stage!!) or how I love watching rude and un-PC tv shows.

Did you study yourself before you became a brand? Is there anything you wish you had done different?