When you start a business and it’s just you, in many ways it’s very hard, but in some ways it’s also
easy. You know how to talk to your customers. You know what your brand stands for. And if you
want to change direction, you just… do it.
But then your business grows. You hire someone. You outsource a few things. Maybe you start
selling a second product or offering a new service. Suddenly you’re not the only one flying the flag
for your brand and that’s where things can start to drift.
Scaling your business is exciting, but it’s also the point where many small businesses lose the
clarity they worked so hard to build.
So how do you keep your brand strong as you grow?
Check your brand still fits where you’re headed
Your brand identity was perfect for you as a one-person band. But is it still doing the job now
you’re building a team or expanding your offer?
It’s worth asking:
- Does our name still make sense?
- Does our tagline reflect everything we now do?
- Do our values speak to what we stand for today, not just back when we started?
Small tweaks might be all you need. But if your brand is still wearing its primary school uniform
when your business has moved on to high school, it could be time for a proper rethink.
Expand your brand without diluting your message
As you grow, your messaging often grows too. You add a bit here for this service, a bit there for
that audience, and before long your brand voice starts to sound all over-the-place and clarity has
gone out of the window.
To avoid that:
- Go back to your core message. What are you really here to do?
- Build a brand hierarchy. What’s your lead offer? What’s the supporting cast?
- Do a ‘brand audit’ to check you’re using consistent visuals and tone across everything
you publish, whether it’s your social media, a customer email, or your job ads.
Clarity builds confidence. If your customers can see exactly what you do and how it all connects,
they’ll trust you more, not less, as you build your brand and grow your business.
Bring your team into the brand
When it’s just you, your brand lives in your head. You know instinctively what sounds like “you”
and what doesn’t.
But when other people start writing emails, answering the phone, or posting on social, you need
to get it out of your head and into something you can share.
That could look like:
- A short brand guide covering tone of voice, values, and visual do’s and don’ts
- A simple induction that introduces new team members to the story behind your brand
- Weekly or monthly team catchups where you reinforce what matters most
You don’t need a glossy brand bible or a formal training plan. Just something that helps your
team feel part of the brand and helps them know how to keep it consistent.
Spot the brands who’ve done it well
Here’s the good news. Plenty of businesses have already been where you are. That local café that
grew into a chain but still feels like your neighbourhood spot. That maker who started on Etsy and
now has a small team and a brand that’s grown with them, not away from them. That consultant,
who turned their solo practice into a membership, without losing the personal touch.
You’ve probably spotted some businesses that haven’t made the transition so smoothly too. That’s
why this bit matters.
A final thought
Growing your business doesn’t mean changing your brand. But it does mean checking it still
works and updating it when it doesn’t. Because a strong brand, and a clear brand stands out
from the crowd. Your brand strategy is like scaffolding. It keeps you steady when everything else
is shifting. And the clearer your brand strategy is, the easier it is to build your brand and grow
your business.
Want help with this?
This is exactly what we do inside Brand School. Whether you’re still going it alone or figuring out
how to bring your team along for the ride, why don’t you come and take a look?
Our Brand School Facebook Community is now free to non-members as well as members.
Hope to see you in there!
Bye for now…
Ailsa
Build your brand, grow your business.
Achieve Brand Clarity
