Viewpoints presented in this blog reflect opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of ACSM.

Your brand is a key part of your business-it tells potential customers who you are and what you specialize in. But creating an unmistakable brand isn't easy to do. You're focused on running your business, and taking time from that to design a logo, website and e-mails probably isn't your ideal workday. Don't worry, though; with some tools from the around the Web, building a brand is easier than ever, and we've shared four ideas on how to jumpstart your branding efforts below.

Logo

There's a good chance you've already heard how important it is that you have a unique, strong logo to represent your business and brand. After all, our brains process images 60,000 times faster than words, meaning that if you're just using word art for your logo, you may be missing out on some quality brand recognition. If you don't have a strong logo, don't worry. With tools like Fiverr and 99designs, you can find a freelance designer to help you design the logo of your dreams. All you have to do is set a budget and timeframe and you're on your way!

Website

If you're one of the 29% of small businesses who doesn't have a website, don't fret. There are tools that will help you build a website easily, even if you don't have any web design experience. One of the keys to a successful website is a branded domain, and website tools like Weebly and Squarespace will host your domain and offer you branded email and website design, all from one easy-to-use interface. And if you don't feel comfortable building a website yourself, Toptal^TM and Upwork^TM can help connect you to web designers to match your budget.

E-mail

In 2017, there were an estimated 269 billion e-mails sent every day. With that many messages going out every day, it's critical that you are delivering the right content to the right people at the right time-but if you're sending e-mails manually by yourself, your e-mails won't stand out in today's cluttered inboxes. That's where e-mail tools like Constant Contact^®, Emma^® and MailChimp^® come in. Just upload your list of contacts (Make sure you have their consent first!), design your e-mail, and schedule it to go out. Your customers will get your e-mail, and you're sure that the message will look great in their inboxes.

Word-of-Mouth

How often do you think of how your brand is represented by your customers? How your clientele speaks about your brand and business is one of the most valuable pieces of your brand, as 84 percent of consumers say that they trust the recommendations of family or friends. While word of mouth is important, it's also easy to influence. Think about recognizing your regular customers or the people who've had the biggest impact on your business by giving them branded items like a t-shirt or hat to wear. You can easily design and order the items on CustomInk^®, and if your customers wear them, you get free marketing!

Your brand is so important, and these four tips will help you hit the ground running to create a brand that your customers will love and your future clients will easily recognize.

Click here to talk to a specialist about how MINDBODY^® can help you build your brand!

About MINDBODY^®

Headquartered in San Luis Obispso, Calif., MINDBODY^® is the leading technology platform for the wellness services industry. Local wellness entrepreneurs worldwide use MINDBODY's integrated software and payments platform to run, market and build their businesses. Consumers use MINDBODY^® to more easily find, engage and transact with wellness providers in their local communities. For more information on how MINDBODY^® is helping people lead healthier, happier lives by connecting the world to wellness, visit https://partner.mindbodyonline.com/acsm