3 Common Branding Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
Branding is everything when it comes to your business’s success. It’s how people perceive your business, and it’s often the first thing they notice. But even the most passionate business owners can make mistakes when it comes to building their brand identity.
In this post, we’ll look at the three most common branding mistakes that small business owners often make and, most importantly, how you can avoid them to build a stronger, more professional brand.
Mistake #1: Not Defining Your Brand Values and Mission
When you start a business, it's easy to get caught up in the aesthetics—picking colors, fonts, and logos—but before you get to that stage, you need to define your brand values and mission. These are the foundation of your brand identity.
Why It’s a Mistake:
If you don’t know what your brand stands for, you risk creating something that feels disconnected and lacks authenticity. Without clarity on your values, your messaging will lack consistency, and you’ll struggle to build a connection with your audience.
How to Avoid It:
Start by defining your brand values and mission statement. Ask yourself:
Why did I start my business?
What transformation do I help my customers achieve?
What impact do I want to have on the world?
This will guide every decision you make, from how you talk to your customers to the visuals you use. Make sure everything—your voice, visuals, and messaging—reflects these core values.
Action Step:
If you’re unsure where to start, check out my Free Brand Clarity Workbook. It’s packed with exercises to help you clarify your brand’s values and mission.
Mistake #2: Having a Poor Logo
Your logo is one of the first things people will notice about your brand. It’s the visual face of your business, and a poor logo can leave a lasting negative impression. Whether it’s poorly designed, hard to read, or doesn’t reflect your brand values, a bad logo can hurt your brand’s credibility.
Why It’s a Mistake:
A poorly designed logo can confuse your audience and make your brand look unprofessional. It could also fail to convey the essence of your business, leaving people unsure of what your brand stands for. If your logo is generic or doesn’t match your brand’s personality, it can be hard for your audience to connect with it.
How to Avoid It:
When creating a logo, make sure it’s simple, memorable, and aligned with your brand’s mission and values. Your logo should be unique, timeless, and scalable to work in different contexts (e.g., websites, social media, print materials).
A good logo should:
Be clear and legible in any size.
Reflect your brand’s values and personality.
Be versatile—think about how it will look on different platforms and products.
Action Step:
If you’re struggling with logo design, consider using Canva to create a logo from scratch, or check out my collection of fully customizable Canva brand identity templates, so you can get a professional look in minutes!
Mistake #3: Inconsistent Branding Across Platforms
Consistency is key when it comes to building a brand that resonates. Many businesses make the mistake of using different colors, fonts, graphics, and image styles across different platforms. This inconsistency makes your brand look unprofessional and disjointed, which can confuse your audience.
Why It’s a Mistake:
When your branding looks different on your website, social media, business cards, and emails, it creates confusion. Your audience may not recognize your brand immediately, and that means you’ll lose valuable opportunities to connect with them. Inconsistent branding leads to a lack of trust and credibility, which can hurt your business in the long run.
How to Avoid It:
To keep your branding consistent:
Use the same color palette, fonts, and logo across all channels.
Stick to a cohesive visual style in all your graphics and images. For example, if you use light, airy photos on your website, don’t switch to dark, moody images on social media.
Create a Brand Style Guide to define how your brand should look and sound, and ensure everything you create follows this guide.
Consistency builds trust and makes your brand more recognizable, which is essential for attracting and retaining customers.
Action Step:
Create your own Brand Style Guide using a template from Canva or grab one of my Premade Brand Kits that include fully editable assets for consistent branding.
Avoiding these common branding mistakes can make all the difference in creating a brand that truly connects and converts. Remember, your brand is more than just a logo—it's the full experience. Stay intentional, stay consistent, and most importantly, stay true to your vision. You've got this!
Meet the Designer
Hey, I’m Joanna — a UK-based brand identity designer and founder of JK Creative Co. After 5+ years designing for startups, creatives, and purpose-led businesses, I’ve shifted my focus to making beautiful, strategic branding more accessible. Through my collection of DIY Canva brand kits, I help small business owners and entrepreneurs launch with confidence — no custom process or big agency budget required.
💡 Want to see how I can support your brand? Explore the kits →