Are you ready to take the leap from hobbyist to professional craftsperson? Have you been honing your ceramic skills and aspire to making a living as an artist or potter? This is an exciting time, and with careful planning and the right skillset, it’s a perfectly achievable goal!

But it can be overwhelming, especially if you’ve never run your own business before. Not to worry, at The Ceramic School, we are here to help! Today we’re going to talk about one of the first stages of creating your own business: developing your brand.

What is Branding Anyways?

You’ve probably come across the term a lot, but maybe aren’t sure exactly what it is, or what it really encompasses. Is it your logo? Your business name? Or something more complex?

Put simply, a brand is the collection of ideas and images people have when thinking about specific products, services, and activities of a company. This can be a physical or practical association, such as ‘this product is durable,’ or an emotional one, such as ‘this product is comforting.’ Branding, therefore, is the process of creating these ideas and associations for your product.  It’s a strategy that helps people quickly identify and experience your brand, and give them a reason to choose your products by clarifying what your particular brand is and isn’t.

Creating these ideas, images, and associations is achieved in a number of ways, but it is the cohesion of all of the parts that really creates the overall brand. So, as we walk you through each of the brand-building strategies, remember to consider how each part relates to the other. If they are in contradiction to each other, such as choosing a super vibrant color palette when you want to create an associated emotion of calm, your message will become confused and won’t translate to your audience.

Seeing Your Work Clearly

When developing your brand, It’s important to have an objective view of your work and what it’s saying. If you are feeling ready to start selling, you likely have begun to create work that is of a unified aesthetic, or is something that feels very ‘you.’ You’ve found a style or method of making that brings a lot of joy, and where you’ve found your rhythm. This is one of the pleasures of working as a professional artist, but it can make it hard to see the work without our personal biases, not just the positive ones, but the negative ones as well. To sell your work effectively, and to brand it effectively, you need to be able to step back and view the work from outside of yourself. What are your choices in color, form, and scale communicating? Are they consistent or is there a wide variation? What unites the pieces aesthetically or functionally? Is there anything about your work that sets it apart from others, especially from work that is seemingly similar? All of these things inform your brand, so being aware of them will ensure the non-ceramic aspects of your brand development align with the work itself.

To help create a clear picture, write out a list of all of the aesthetic or methodological aspects of your work, along with the practical benefits they provide and the emotions they evoke. For example, if you use a lot of sharp angles in your work, does this create a sense of strength, conjure architectural references, or aid function? To make an even more complete picture of your work, have a friend or two create a list for you too (choose artists and non-artists alike). Have they seen something you haven’t? Is this a desirable trait that you want to more consciously incorporate, or is it something you’d like to avoid? The more thorough a picture you have, the more successfully you’ll be able to develop a strong coherent brand.

Knowing Your Story

When developing your brand, it’s important to know what motivates and inspires you to create the type of work you do. This doesn’t have to be hugely complex, though it certainly can be. Perhaps you are inspired by clean lines and minimalist living, so you create pottery that aligns with that aesthetic. Or perhaps you like to work more conceptually, and your pieces address issues of climate change, the political challenges of your country, or personal issues in your life. When your business is your artwork, you yourself often become part of your brand, so consider which stories you want to include – or just as importantly, exclude. Your customers are going to be curious about why you make what you make, so knowing this and being able to communicate it clearly is essential for building your brand.

We recommend sitting down and writing a list, this time of the key motivations and inspirations for your work. If you haven’t already, write your artist statement to fully flesh these out (we have a great blog post to help you with this!), as this can be a great reference for you as you evolve your brand over time. Again, enlist the help of some friends, asking them to list what the work makes them think of or feel, what they think your motivations might be, or what concepts you seem to be exploring. Once you’re done, compare these lists to see if your friends missed something that is important to you, or saw something you wish not to communicate. Next, compare these lists to your earlier ones, where you were looking objectively at your forms.  Are there any contradictions between your motives and the physical forms that need addressing? How can you remedy this? Are there aspects that can be emphasized to make your motivation or story more visible? Once you’ve resolved any unwanted inconsistencies, you’re ready to move forward with your branding strategy.

Identify Your Target Audience

Now that you have a clearer image of your motivations and what your work communicates, you can start to develop an idea of who your target audience is. This involves understanding the people who are most likely to love and buy your creations. Think about who might like your art based on their age, where they live, and what they enjoy. Consider what problems your ceramics solve for them – do they make homes more beautiful, appeal to a niche subculture, or elevate the experience of the family meal? Engage with people on social media, ask for feedback from customers, and meet people at art events to learn more. You can also look at the customer base of artists who work in a similar style for further insights.

Understanding your audience is an ongoing process that can change as your art grows and changes too. The goal is to find the people who truly connect with your ceramics and love what you make. Once you have a sense of who this is, you can develop branding that specifically appeals to this crowd, and avoid wasting time on people who aren’t interested.

Bringing it Together

Now that you’ve completed these three activities, you are armed with a strong set of keywords that will drive the rest of your branding strategy, along with a clear image of who your branding is aimed towards. You can now begin to develop the elements that are most commonly associated with brading, such as your business name, logo,  and slogan, as well as the features that will be consistent across all marketing platforms, such as color palette, font, and language tone. Let’s go through each of them one by one to help you get started.

What’s in a Name?

Selecting the perfect name for your ceramics business is a vital decision that can influence your brand’s identity and recognition. Using your keyword list as a starting point, consider all the factors that matter to you and your business. Once you find the right name, it will become a key part of your business’s story. Here are some tips to help you choose a compelling and fitting name:

Reflect Your Work: Your business name should reflect the essence of your craft. Whether it’s functional pottery, decorative raku vessels, or one-of-kind sculptural works, the name should give potential customers a clear idea of what you create.

Simplicity: A simple and easy-to-pronounce name is more memorable and approachable. Avoid complicated spellings or intricate words that might confuse potential customers. Don’t be afraid to incorporate your own name. As an artist, you are part of the brand, and it’s common practice to use your full name or initials as part of your business name.

Relevance: The name should be relevant not only to your craft but also to your target audience. Consider what resonates with your ideal customers and the emotions you want your brand to evoke.

Avoid Trends: While trendy names might seem appealing now, they can quickly become outdated. Choose a name that has longevity and won’t feel dated after a few years.

Scalability: Think about the future. Will your business name still make sense if you expand your line or venture into related products? Avoid names that limit your growth.

Domain Availability: If you plan to have an online presence (and we think you should!), check if the domain name for your business is available. Consistency between your business name and website domain is important.

Check Trademarks: Ensure that the name you choose doesn’t infringe on any existing trademarks. You don’t want legal issues down the road.

Cultural Sensitivity: Be mindful of cultural connotations and potential misinterpretations, especially if you plan to sell internationally.

Emotional Connection: Consider how the name makes you feel and whether it resonates with the emotions you want to convey to your customers.

Test It Out: Before finalizing the name, share it with friends, family, or potential customers. Get feedback to see how others perceive the name.

Future Expansion: Think about potential future directions your business might take. Will the name still be relevant if you diversify your product range? How about if you move locations?

Check Social Media: Make sure that the name you choose is available on social media platforms. Consistency across platforms is important for brand recognition.

Intuition and Gut Feeling: Trust your instincts. If a name feels right and aligns with your vision, it’s likely a good fit.

Remember, your business name is a foundational element of your brand identity. Give yourself the opportunity to explore, think creatively, and take into account all the important aspects that are relevant to you and your craft business. When you eventually discover the perfect name, it will seamlessly integrate into the narrative of your business, playing a significant role in defining its identity.

Sum it up in an Image: Developing Your Logo

Once you’ve decided on a memorable name for your ceramic business, you are ready to move on to your logo. Serving as the immediate visual connection to your business, logos are memorable symbols that swiftly distinguish your brand in a crowded marketplace, and are therefore a pivotal part of your branding strategy. They create consistency by unifying your brand across platforms, evoking emotions tied to your brand, and instilling trust and professionalism. Logos facilitate brand recognition, fostering an emotional link with your audience and aiding in marketing efforts. A strong logo can set your businesses apart, creating a lasting mark that endures growth and market changes. In essence, logos are the face of your brand, conveying its essence and values in a single image.

Here are a few suggestions and considerations when it comes to developing your logo:

Reflect Craftsmanship: Your logo should mirror the artistry and uniqueness of your ceramics. Incorporate elements that capture the essence of your craft, whether it’s the texture of clay, the shape of your creations, or the tools you use.

Simplicity: Keep your logo simple and uncluttered. A clean design ensures that your logo remains recognizable and versatile across different mediums. As an extra consideration for ceramic artists, consider a logo that can easily be converted as a small stamp to put on your work. This can be identical to the main logo or a simplified variation of it. Stamping work is an important tradition within clay, so keep it in mind when designing your logo if this is something you value.

Uniqueness: Aim for a logo that stands out from the crowd. Avoid using generic symbols or clichés commonly associated with ceramics.

Color Palette: Choose colors that resonate with your brand’s personality and the emotions you want to evoke. Consider tones or colors that reflect the glazes and finishes you use in your ceramics.

Contrast: If you are going with a colored design, ensure that your logo will also work with a high-contrast black and white look. This is also important if you plan on creating a stamp for your pieces, as you won’t have color to reinforce your design.

Scalability and Versatility: Your logo should look great whether it’s on a small business card or a large banner. Avoid intricate details that might be lost when scaled down. Don’t forget to consider how it will look on different social media platforms and your website. Ensure it will look good and stay recognizable if it’s part of a square, rectangular, or circular image.

Typography: If your logo includes text, select a font that complements your brand’s style. Whether elegant, playful, or bold, ensure it’s easy to read and aligns with your overall message.

Timelessness: Avoid overly trendy elements that might become outdated quickly. Strive for a logo that remains relevant for years to come.

Meaningful Symbols: Incorporate symbols that hold personal or cultural significance related to ceramics. These symbols can add depth and meaning to your logo.

Professional Help: If you’re not confident in your design skills, consider hiring a professional logo designer or collaborating with a talented artist. A well-crafted logo is an investment in your brand’s image, and can be well worth the expense. If money is an issue, there’s an ever-growing list of free AI image generators that can create logos using your custom prompts, such as Looka.com, and BrandCrowd. These can offer a great starting point.

Feedback: Seek feedback from trusted friends, family, or even your potential customers. Other perspectives can provide insights you might not have considered.

Time and Patience: Designing a logo takes time. Don’t rush the process. Give yourself room to explore different concepts and variations before finalizing your design. Once you come up with something you like, step away from it for a few days, so you can review it with fresh eyes before you commit.

Remember, your logo will be the visual representation of your ceramics business, so take the time to create something that truly encapsulates the essence of your craft and resonates with your audience.  Their ability to evoke emotions, promote trust, and create consistency across platforms makes logos an essential element for successful branding.

Make it Short and Sweet: The Power of Slogans

Slogans, often referred to as taglines or mottos, are concise and memorable phrases that encapsulate the essence of your brand, product, or company. They play a vital role in branding and marketing by distilling complex messages into a few words that resonate with audiences. While not an absolute requirement for your ceramics business, slogans can serve as powerful tools to create instant recognition, evoke emotions, and communicate key aspects of your business’s identity or offerings. Here are 5 key considerations when coming up with a valuable slogan:

Clarity and Simplicity: Keep your slogan clear and straightforward. Avoid using complex language or jargon that might confuse your audience. A simple and concise slogan is easier to remember and understand.

Convey Core Message: Your slogan should succinctly capture the core message or unique selling point of your brand or product. It should answer the question: “What makes your brand special?”

Memorability: Aim for a slogan that sticks in people’s minds. It should be catchy, rhythmic, or have a memorable play on words. Poetic devices like rhyme, alliteration, and iambs can help. This helps with overall brand recall.

Emotional Connection: A great slogan evokes emotions and resonates with your target audience. Consider the emotions you want your brand to evoke and craft a slogan that reflects those feelings.

Differentiation: Stand out from the competition by highlighting what sets you apart. Your slogan should emphasize what makes your brand unique and distinct within the ceramics industry. Your slogan should be unique, and not derivative of other slogans.

Remember, a successful slogan encapsulates the essence of your brand in a succinct and memorable manner. It should leave a lasting impression and align with your brand’s identity and values.

Thinking of the Broader Design

Now that you have the essentials covered, it’s time to consider the other aesthetic decisions that go along with your brand marketing. These include the color palette of your marketing materials, the style of photography you use, and the fonts you work with. Do you want a clean, minimalist feel with lots of negative space and simple icons? Or how about a busier, more vibrant feel that’s jam-packed with eye-catching content?

As with the other elements, think about the message and emotions these components communicate. Everything should be working towards the same goal. Make sure that your choices here do not distract from your work, but help make it shine. Always make sure it’s consistent across all media, from your website to your business cards, to Instagram. This will help build the image of your work in your customers’ minds, and will enhance your brand recognition.

The Importance of Tone

One aspect of branding that’s easy for beginners to overlook is the tone of your writing. In simple terms, this refers to your attitude or feelings towards the subject you are writing about. It’s like the emotional flavor or mood of the writing. Tone can be serious, humorous, formal, informal, angry, joyful, and so on. It helps convey your intention and can influence how readers perceive the text. Think of it as the way the words make you feel when you read them. 

To help you decide on your tone, refer back to those keyword lists you made earlier. Are there moods that you can elevate through your choice of language and tone? For instance, if your work is light and playful, then consider a familiar tone, as if talking to a good friend. Is it highly conceptual? Perhaps an academic tone is more appropriate. Thinking of your target audience is especially helpful here: Are you trying to appeal to gallerists? Art fair goers? People who are after custom pieces? Knowing who you are aiming to talk to will greatly inform the tone you choose to take.

You’ve probably noticed a pattern at this point, but we’re going to emphasize it one more time here: once you’ve decided on a tone, make sure it’s consistent across all platforms and media. This includes not just the text on your About Me page, but in your newsletters, social posts, and your item descriptions on your product pages. A consistent voice will create a stronger impression of who you are as a maker, and what your work is about. 

Think of your brand as a compass, directing your business journey and reflecting your mission. It’s the story you tell that resonates with your target audience, turning them from curious onlookers to loyal patrons. Your well-crafted brand is akin to a seal of quality, a mark that signifies professionalism and dedication which, in turn, can catalyze an upswing in sales.

The road to perfect branding might seem like a winding trail, especially if you’re steering your ceramics business singlehandedly. But as you learn more about yourself and your audience, you’ll find yourself effortlessly adapting and making positive changes in all your creative ventures. And there’s no need to feel overwhelmed, we have lots of business resources to help you out! In fact, if you are all looking for a real deep-dive into building your ceramics business, you can sign up for The Ceramics MBA. We’ll cover every topic needed to get your business up and running, or help you improve the one you are currently building!