7 signs your branding is costing you sales

"Don't trust this place"

That’s what bad branding or signage is quietly telling your customers, and it’s costing you.

They won’t say it, but they’re thinking it. A typo on your flyer. Text you can’t read on Instagram. That logo your mate’s cousin made, it all tells a story (and not a flattering one.)

People judge fast. If your branding looks chaotic, they’ll assume your business is too...from service to standards to hygiene.

Take customer toilets (my personal benchmark.) If they’re grim, I instantly wonder what the kitchen looks like and it puts me off. People will apply the same logic to your branding.

And that tiny flicker of doubt? That’s a lost sale.

Here's how to know if your branding is giving off big "We're cutting corners" energy - and why it matters more than you think.

1. You’ve got seven versions of your flyer… and you always print the one with the typo.

You see a mistake. Your customer sees a lack of attention to detail. If you miss the typo, what else are you missing? The vegan option? Their email? Hygiene?

Harsh? Maybe. But this is what our brains do. Visual sloppiness = mental shortcut: “this place is unprofessional.”

What it’s costing you: Trust. And probably bookings.

2. Your menu looks like a hot mess...typo’d, laminated, curled, and stained.

That laminated menu from 2017? The one with the typo you’ve just stopped noticing? The edges curling up like sad little waves, coffee rings and smudges decorating the corners? It’s not just an eyesore, it’s a giant red flag. If your menu looks neglected, customers wonder what else is being overlooked: your food prep, your hygiene, your whole operation.

What it’s costing you: Lost appetite, lost trust, and lost sales.

3. You designed your POS in Word.

Then there’s the signage. That half-curled bit of A4 taped in the window, looking like it’s been there since 2017. And the last-minute promo sign you whipped up that looks like your 3-year-old niece had a go in MS Paint. It doesn’t say “we’ve got this.” It screams “winging it”, and customers can tell.

What it’s costing you: Sales you should have converted. Attention you didn’t hold.

4. Your logo is red online, blue in print, and green on your van.

Brand consistency? Never met her. If your colours, fonts, and visuals shift depending on the day, your customers don’t know what to expect, and that means they don’t know what you stand for.

What it’s costing you: Recognition. Confidence. Loyalty and all in a crowded market.

5. You used Canva… and it shows.

I absolutely love Canva. But when it turns into a free-for-all of drop shadows, spinning gifs and clashing templates, it stops looking like branding and starts looking like a visual panic attack.

What it’s costing you: That “oooh this place looks good” moment that turns a scroll into a sale.

6. Every time you post on socials, it looks like a different business did it.

Your café graphics say rustic and local. Your new menu says retro diner. Your Facebook event banner? Looks like you’re opening a laser tag arena. When there’s no visual glue holding it all together, people get confused, and it's been proven time and again in marketing studies that confused people don’t buy. What it’s costing you: Engagement. Connection. Brand stickiness. Sales.

7. You’re one more typo away from a full breakdown.

It’s not just about looks. DIY branding is exhausting! It eats your time, drains your energy, and makes you question your life choices at 11pm on a Tuesday when you just needed to “quickly design a sign.” Let’s stop the madness.

What it’s costing you: Time, sanity, and the polished look that gets you taken seriously.

So what now?

If you’ve nodded along to any of this, you aren't alone and welcome to Studio Mangetout by Blue Mangetout.

With 10 years of design experience across hospitality, garden centres, events and socials. I help businesses like yours look like they've got their act together, so you can carry on doing what you do best!

Menus that actually match your vibe.

Flyers that don’t need a typo sweep.

POS and social graphics that make people want to buy.

It’s fast. It’s affordable. It’s one less thing on your plate.

Get in touch today. Let’s make your brand look like the legend you already are.