Multi "brand" businesses...

[ChristopherCoy]

I've seen a few people who have multiple "brands" or 'identities' within their business. Is this an adviseable practice? Or can it be detrimental to your business if not handeled or seperated properly?

For those of you who DO have more than one brand or identity, how do you handle the two? What are some of your basic business practices? (ie: shared website, or two totally seperate domains, etc...)

[HotHolly]

Originally Posted by ChristopherCoy

I've seen a few people who have multiple "brands" or 'identities' within their business. Is this an adviseable practice?

depends on what you are doing - babies and boudoir do NOT go together.

Or can it be detrimental to your business if not handeled or seperated properly?

you'll possibly have to work 2x as hard.

For those of you who DO have more than one brand or identity, how do you handle the two? What are some of your basic business practices? (ie: shared website, or two totally seperate domains, etc...)

i'll tell you when i have more time. poke me if i forget. we are swamped this week.

HotHolly added 91 Minutes and 11 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

For those of you who DO have more than one brand or identity, how do you handle the two? What are some of your basic business practices? (ie: shared website, or two totally seperate domains, etc...)

Im b/t clients for the moment. I'll try to type fast AND make sense.

My 2 brands are BELLE'S and ABILENE BOUDOIR. Belle's is primarily a wedding studio. We shoot mostly bridals - that's what we are known for. Its upscale and we only take a limited number of clients annually. Everything in that brand teeters on pop photography styles and contemporary art.

Abilene Boudoir is a stand alone brand. The 2 brands were separated b/c brides like to see brides and we shoot a limited # of babies and I didnt want babies and boudoir on the same site. While they are both similar style-wise, some things just dont mix - like milk and vodka - it just makes u puke.

Anyway, they have separate domains, they are linked on the splash page and we make it clear that Abilene Boudoir is a division of Belles. Mainly b/c Belles has been around longer and has a good rep. Abilene Boudoir is also branded as an all girl studio and we try to make everything really pretty (pinks, ornate, glittery, super frilly girly kinda stuff), while Belle's is more stylish (rich color schemes - red, black, gold w/ refined sheik look).

The websites and blogs are separate. Abilene Boudoir has its own facebook fan page. It takes more time to maintain all the things separately, but in this case it works. Our boutique studio is in the same location. Abilene Boudoir is a brand of Belle's.

Ive seen people splinter off divisions that didn't really need to splinter off. I think IF you do it - there should be a damn good reason why you did. Branding ONE studio is difficult - never mind attempting to brand 2 at the same time. Gotta go. Nutty day!