How do you create a strong and positive perception of your business? Branding. It is the process of combining various elements of your company such as mission statements, values, design, logo, symbols or other distinctive features to help distinguish yourself from your competitors while communicating and creating a positive impression about your services or products to a loyal customer base.
Brand identity is a complex concept that when done professionally, it can have a massive impact on a business by giving it a competitive advantage, therefore, before you dive into the design process, ask yourself:
- Will your brand resonate with your target audience? (Behaviors and lifestyle of your consumers)
- How will it make people feel?
- How will it look like (colors, fonts, themes, graphics etc.)?
Building a brand that stands out is not for the faint-hearted, in fact, some companies take months to create and approve a design. Therefore, if you are looking to pivot your business and create a recognizable name and logo that distinguishes you from the rest, it’s important that you consider each of the following aspects as you shape your brand identity:
• Research your market, target audience and current competitors (very important)
• Choose a unique business name – one that’s hard to imitate and even harder to confuse with competitors
• Define your brand’s focus, tone and personality – positioning statement or unique selling proposition
• Have a catchy tagline – something brief and descriptive enough to make a big impact
• Choose the look of your brand – colors and typography
• Create a brand logo – make it unique, identifiable, and scalable
• Apply your brand across your business – letterheads, business cards, T-shirts, pens, etc.
Building a brand doesn’t stop at creating a logo, it needs to remain consistent each time customers interact with your business. And while you may not have any control over how everyone perceives your brand, you can always tug them in the right direction by making a great first impression and managing your reputation through providing excellent customer experience.
Additionally, your brand is defined by a customer’s overall perception of your business. Therefore, it must be consistent in communication and experience, across many applications including but not limited to:
- Website and online advertising
- Social media and content marketing
- Sales and customer service
- Storefront or office (if applicable)
- Print, signage, packaging and more
When building a brand, tell customers briefly who you are. Your message should be intricately associated with your brand and an opportunity to make a human and direct emotional connection with your clients. So, does your brand say:
- Who you are?
- What you have to offer?
- And why people should care?
It should because brands that take a step further to establish a special connection with their customer’s transition from a reliable brand to a Lovemarks that have a tremendous impact upon their business. Good branding is strategic, and when you clearly define your brand’s objectives, it’s a surefire way to build long-term relationships with your customers.
