In Branding Your Business part 1, I put forward the idea that our small one-person corsetmaking businesses are very different beasts to the larger companies that we often find ourselves competing against. They are appealing to the masses, we are appealing to the niche enthusiasts... they have substantial advertising budgets, we often have none... they have the scope to produce a large quantity of garments, we can only produce a small number of quality garments.

So if our businesses are so different, why do we so often think that our branding and/or promotion must follow the same structures?

As explained last time, it is my feeling that:

• we should treat our very special products more as art or specialist luxury goods;
• by identifying precisely where we're coming from we can allow a brand to develop from within;
• these core principles will allow both our product and branding to move away from an unsteady reliance on the external elements of design to a more solid reliance on the internal qualities of the maker.

In this article, I will describe the key elements you may want to use to communicate your brand (eg: logo, colours, imagery), with a specific view to retaining a sense of individuality and desirability.

Name & Logo

Your brand name needs to communicate your principles as much as possible. From How to Set up & Run a Fashion Label by Toby Meadows:

"It is the 'mark' used to distinguish your product from those of another business so that consumers are not confused." p39

"The most effective names are often those that reflect the personalities of the business and its people – even if they don't describe exactly what the brand stands for." p40

My brand name has a little bit of personal story behind it, my name being "Jenni" and my mother's pet name for me being "Jenny Wren" like the garden bird. Her mother too called her "little Jenny Wren" on account of her being a very small baby. This is a little bit of personalisation that people are not aware of unless they ask, but it has resulted in a name for my business persona that mimics nothing else out there. A name that I feel comfortable with and fond of.

There is, of course, an argument for using your own name. I don't do this as I prefer to think of my working self and personal self as distinct from one another, which I think is a real concern for the self-employed (sole traders in particular). In reality there is a lot of cross-over and you may be perfectly happy working under your real name. But I like to have the freedom to say, "it is the weekend, I am not Sparklewren now". It's important to remember that your business will no doubt eat up a huge amount of your time, energy and resources. If you hope to create something lasting and special you may want to think about creating this sort of separation between private/professional. Consider using your real name as a subheader if you are not comfortable using it as your main business name.

You can even think of your brand as a stage name! Make it memorable and ensure that it is different enough to be useful in conversation or google search results. Ie: if your business name is "Silk & Satin Custom Corsetry" you may find that it is too generic (don't worry, I did a quick check and can't find anyone working under this name). Nearly every corsetmaker's website will include the terms "silk", "satin", "custom" and "corsetry", and so the name does your business no favours unless you are mass-producing and targeting a wide client base at a low price point. A generic name makes you "one of the crowd" instead of a dedicated individual artist. Indeed, I have found that I am increasingly moving away from "Sparklewren Bespoke Corsetry" to simply "Sparklewren". The rest is unnecessary.

 

 

Think also about a logo. Create something that won't "date" quickly. Simplicity is usually king here (for ease of printing and clarity of message) which is why monograms are so effective, though you can use something wildly decorative as your emblem if it is appropriate to your work. You could even have two or three versions for different uses.

If possible, hire a graphic designer, but if not consider exploring the wealth of free fonts available for commercial use.

Look through the small selection of fonts in figure 3 (right). What do you imagine the different details communicate? Can you identify the styles that seem silly and childish? What about the styles that convey seriousness?

Often, it's the less ostentatious designs that have the most longevity as a logo. Ensure you consider how the logo will look in a range of different situations (eg: in black or white) and decide quite clearly what colours and to what scale you will use it in. As my logo designer and friend Leanne Mallinder keeps reminding me, consistency is the simplest way to appear professional.

Visual Imagery

Express your aesthetic interests as personally as you can (ie: explore any and all of the ideas that you love!) Then follow this through into your imagery, by collaborating with photographers, models, stylists and so on whose work you genuinely love and can see combining with yours in a way that nourishes the art of all parties involved.

It isn't enough to think, for example, "I'll differentiate/align myself to the market by choosing a certain kind of model". That's the thinking of mass-market products, not specialist individual corsetmakers. Make those choices based on a real love of the aesthetics you're exploring and a wish to create great art. [I am currently writing an article on arranging your own professional photoshoot, which will go into the process in more detail.]

Let's use my current blog banner and website landing page image as examples of branded imagery.

 

There are a whole host of things at play in this banner that you may not even be aware of, but which give the image a richness and personal relevance. Ivory Flame (the model) was someone I approached not only for her incredible portfolio and brilliant work ethic, but also for her timeless look. Having grown up reading books on Klimt, Art Nouveau and the pre-Raphaelites, Flame's fae look is naturally entrancing to me. Likewise, the colours of this shot (the hints of blue, green and gold) tie into my love of Klimt, that sort of watery feeling, and into colours that I feel are synonymous with my brand.

Likewise, my current landing page image explores colour schemes and powerful representations of the female form that I love. The strong graphic lines remind me of Aubrey Beardsley line drawings, and all the Art Deco figurines that my father used to sell as an antiques dealer when I was growing up. The sharply bobbed hair, dark fingernails, sloping curves, everything... the only thing that could let this image reflect my childhood Art Deco memories further would be if my model had a greyhound at her feet!

Now, this is the level of personalisation I'm talking about. We're fortunate, as small businesses, that we can be artistic in our choices. Remember, we want to appeal to the few, not to the masses. Imagery that you are genuinely passionate about can be part of that. A small logo (or tagline as we've used here) reinforces what your work is about. Remember your brand's core principles? You can use small taglines as a way of concisely reflecting them.

It may also be apparent, however, that certain styles, colours, fonts, etc. may not be entirely appropriate even if you do love them. If you're unsure or uncertain, consider looking to wider visual merchandising theory for information.

At a recent visual merchandising workshop I attended, we discussed the perception of a brand through colour. Most studies show that certain colours convey quite clear ideas, and this is exploited within the retail environment.

Look at figure 6 (right). We have 8 basic visual merchandising colours.

Which of the following 8 descriptions would you attribute to each colour?

1. Happy

2. Sophistication

3. Easy on the eye

4. Look at me!

5. Wealth/luxury

6. Tranquil/confident

7. Warmth/security

8. Calm/romantic

I was amazed at the workshop by how different our responses all were. The workshop was composed of artistic sorts, so we all seemed to have very distinctive and personal responses to colour. We were assured, however, that we were in the minority. Most people (especially in a shopping environment), respond to colour as show in figure 7.

Using this information, it becomes clear why red signage is so often used on sale items. Red literally excites the eye, being at one end of the visible spectrum, and thus seems to excite the brain in turn, helping trigger that frenzied buying behaviour you can see at most sales.

Green, a restful calm colour, wouldn't excite the same sense of urgency in the shopper. So for this particular banner and landing page (figures 4 and 5), we could assume that viewers would intuitively see the brand as confident and tranquil (blue), calm (green), and sophisticated (black). Hmm, maybe I should have thrown some purple in to denote luxury! I'll never look at a bar of Cadbury's chocolate the same way again...

In summary, the two images I've chosen as my crucial "first impressions" convey the aesthetics I love in a way that is appropriate to my core principles. The look of the models, the colours of the backgrounds, the colours and textures in the corsets... it all combines into a harmonious whole.

Think about your own existing imagery and/or corset designs. What do they say about you? What inspirations shine through them? If one or two images/designs just make your heart soar then they are probably exactly the sorts of images that you should consider building your brand's visual identity around.

Try cropping your favourite images in a variety of ways to see what works and get ideas for website banners, profile avatars, business cards, and so on. Search through sites such as ModelMayhem or trawl through editorial fashion shoots in glossy magazines, noting the images you love and analysing why you love them. Soon you'll have a clear idea of how to express your brand visually.

Online Visibility

If presenting your brand online, you must commit to it whole-heartedly. Followers despair over blogs and statuses that are never updated...

Facebook and Twitter should be used to keep your consumers engaged, without overdoing it. On these types of social media sites, it is better to be more active than not. Share new information, articles and media with your followers every day. If you do not post enough, eventually you will be forgotten. Do's and Don'ts of Social Media Marketing

So "where" should you communicate your message? If you hate writing, there's little point starting a blog. If you love scouring the net for visuals a Tumblr may be appropriate. If you enjoy interaction with your fans, facebook or twitter might be better. The obvious benefit of social networking sites with newsfeed/home pages is that followers can receive updates without having to make any great effort (ie: more than one click!). The trade-off is that you cannot control the viewing environment as fully as you may wish. Your facebook page will probably always have a certain layout and blue menus. It can be difficult creating an immersive seductive experience when your viewer has facebook chat in the periphery!

There are certain things you can do to carry branding through your social networking profiles/pages though... For example, you can currently improve your facebook page by incorporating a simple landing tab that will be the first thing non-fans see when they visit. You can even change this landing tab so that once they become a fan new content is "unlocked"!

But looking the part isn't quite enough. Consider how you will interact with people.

• Why are you there?
• Do you hope to make sales, converse with other creatives, find inspiration, boost visibility?
• What are your hopes for your business and how could online visibility help or hinder them?

Whatever your aims, I feel that the crucial part of online visibility is that your followers be valuable ones... individuals who truly engage with your work. Large numbers of followers can often be found through schemes that involve paying companies to direct huge quantities of traffic to your profiles. There are also many bloggers out there who follow others simply to boost their own visibility. Basically, you may as well not have these followers and I wouldn't recommend soliciting them. So don't worry excessively about the numbers, they will come with time. You want to focus on quality not quantity, and the more quality followers you have the more your reputation will grow for the better. Be sure to engage fully and politely with your followers:

"An unresponsive company is sure to see less engagement with their customers than a business who is always answering. "  Do's and Don'ts of Social Media Marketing

But also recognise that, as a single craftsperson, you are entitled to weekends, evenings and holidays away from your work! So long as you are clear and consistent in your approach, your followers will respect you.

For the most up-to-date opinions and conversations on running a successful small lingerie business online, consider joining the Independent Lingerie Professionals facebook group or arranging a business consultation with someone like The Lingerie Addict. These resources are more useful for brands who outsource manufacturing, but you may still learn a valuable thing or two.

Offline Visibility

One of the most successful corsetmakers I am aware of has only a website landing page with scrolling images and a telephone number. Her clients aren't comparison shopping to check prices and they probably don't find her online. They already want her work for the reputation and status it has, being featured in glossy magazines, on celebrities, and presented in tiny handful of carefully chosen high-end lingerie boutiques. Likewise Mr Pearl, as most of you will know, has no online presence to speak of. There is certainly something to be said for being hard to find, though I feel this is an approach that only works after a good deal of time spent developing a loyal following. Is it best for your brand to be highly visible, fiercely private, or somewhere in-between? How can working online/offline help you in this?

The dream of many designers is to be featured in an editorial of Vogue or Harpers Bazaar... Well, I'm afraid I can't yet tell you how that is done! But I would advise ensuring that everything you produce is as high a standard as possible. If you can't picture your brand in a glossy magazine, neither can the editors. If you have connections in the industry, use them.

Until Vogue comes knocking, would submitting content to local papers, writing a book, or distributing regular press releases be a good idea?

What about taking part in Fashion Weeks, charity events close to your heart, or developing a relationship as a boutique's exclusive corsetmaker?

What about aligning yourself to an artist's network or taking part in fairs and craft events? Within the UK there are some "Empty Shop" schemes wherein otherwise wasted commercial buildings are made available as temporary artist studios, exhibition/event space, and so on. Would arranging an independent fashion show or "pop-up boutique" be a good idea? What would any of these ideas say about your brand?

Don't choose any one of these routes simply because someone else has... think carefully about where they could lead you, how they will fit into your working life, and how they could develop or change your brand over time.

With all of these promotional efforts, ensure your work is branded. If you have a font specific to your brand, use it. If you have brand colours, use them. Use the techniques that best convey your message, bearing in mind that the goal is to have each individual potential client understand the brand immediately.

Your Voice

The key here, once again, is to be genuine. Don't fake anything. Remember to be professional and polite, of course, but be honest with it. If you have a difficult encounter remember that often it's best to step back and freeze the conversation.

Consider the key points you want to communicate. How can you weave these into your text and to what extent do you want to openly share them? We can look at a couple of published books as examples of brand promotion... Velda Lauder's Corsets: a modern girl's guide reads as a concise little history of the corset with a small amount of information on her own brand ethos. Conversely, the designer profiles in Kate Dominy's Contemporary Lingerie Design are shorter but far more personal. The two books are aimed at different readerships and so the voice and content is wildly different, even though they both do a good job of promoting the brands involved.

I currently have a lot of text on my livejournal blog and associated profiles. This is because I love to write! It's a natural part of my daily behaviour to write down my musings, and so it makes sense to do so for the business. It is also useful because most of my clients find me online and are at a distance. MAD Perspectives reminds us that it's important to provide consistency of voice so as to not confuse your client base:

As you engage, remember what your brand stands for and provide consistency in terms of voice and topic. While it may be fun to share your thoughts on random topics, you are socializing on behalf of your brand.

I would also say, however, that as an individual craftsperson you can be more personal and "random" if you want to be. Remember, your followers are investing in you as the creator of this brand. You can operate differently from larger companies.

"Try mixing in your own business information and links with interesting articles, videos, photos and fun facts." (Do's and Don'ts of Social Media Marketing)

So think about the information you need/want to communicate through your sites. If writing isn't your strong point, consider asking a friend/colleague for help. Do not copy text from other brands' websites!

Avoid hyperbolic language such as "the best that money can buy", "highest quality fabrics" and so on. That sort of marketing is so commonplace that it ceases to mean anything and becomes untrustworthy. It also plays into the idea of competition, that corsetmaker A is better/worse than corsetmaker B.

Remember, in art it isn't about being "better", it's about being "individual".

Corsets are no longer an everyday item for all women wherein function is the most important selling point... Figure 10(right) gives an example of late Victorian advertising, where functionality is *the* key selling point. Yes, our corsets must be functional, but the average customer does not come to you for this reason. They come to you for your style. Functionality is assumed.

Your clients want something that is beautifully personal to them and you. Even if they order a plain black overbust, they want to know that it was patterned, constructed and conceived by you in your own particular way.

Figure 11(right) displays a way of advertising that is more about the style, luxury and attitude of the company's corsets, than about functionality.

The art of branding for custom corsetmakers isn't, in my view, in differentiating yourself through hyperbolic language, securing the most followers or having the highest google rating... it's in conveying the idea that each stitch is a moment of creativity expressed through your own two hands.

In short, it's wonderful to get excitement, passion and "buzz" from your followers, but you need to then reward their passion with consistent effort and a clear message.

[...]'brand romantics' will do well to remember that while passion ignites many a relationship, it takes honest, hard work to keep one going.

Conclusion

In the first article we looked at how to consciously define your intentions and identity. I hope that in this article, I have shown the key ways in which you can begin to translate that internal brand identity into external markers (visual and vocal). You need to think about:

• Your name and logo
• The visual presentation of your work (photography, colour choices, etc.)
•  Your online and offline presences
• Your voice

Remember that if a decision is difficult, you can always look back to your brand's core principles as a way of making the decision easier. Ultimately though, you simply need to get cracking! Very few decisions you make are permanent and details such as your logo and imagery can evolve as your business does. Don't be so afraid of making the wrong decision that you end up making no decision.

In my third business article, we will look in more detail at the photographic representation of your work.

Bibliography

Contemporary Lingerie Design by Kate Dominy

Corsets: a modern girl's guide by Velda Lauder

How to Set up & Run a Fashion Label by Toby Meadows

 The Luxury Strategy by J. N. Kapferer and V. Bastien

Online Resources

Business Dictionary.com 

CopyKlatsch blog 

The Lingere Addict

Mad Perspectives

Marketing Week

Progressive Media Concepts 

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