A livestock brand is a mark unique to the owner, allowing the animal to be instantly recognizable as property. A business brand serves a similar purpose — it lets potential customers quickly assess who and what you’re all about and whether your services or products are a good fit for their needs.

However, a well-built brand is more than a logo and a website. 

Branding: Necessary Or Nonsense?

Mark Aikens, DipWCF, is a farrier specializing in hot shoeing for pleasure and competition horses in Norwich, England. He views a brand as something that defines your position in the marketplace as well as in the minds of prospective clients, and a necessity in the modern world.

“Today’s farrier has customers who may well be from a professional or corporate background themselves and thus have certain expectations of a horseshoeing professional and their business. Or they simply relate better to a farrier who has quantified their identity through a branding process,” says Aikens. 

He adds that while a professional brand might not be necessary for someone only interested in earning a living from shoeing horses, it would be advisable for those farriers wishing to make it a lifelong career. 

“The business world has evolved to become extremely competitive, especially in these times of austerity, so it’s necessary for those farriers who strive for success to better represent themselves through a branded identity.”

They’re Sizing You Up

Even if you haven’t consciously developed your brand, you’ll have one by default, according to Dean…