Understanding Branding
In this blog post I talk about the difference between a brand and branding, where I state that brand are the elements you use to create consistency (and therefore trust,) with your customer. Here’s the breakdown of what goes into a well-thought out brand.
There are 2 overarching elements of branding:
Brand Strategy + Visual Identity
Brand Strategy
In order to establish your brand as the top choice among customers, it's crucial to have a well-defined brand strategy. This long-term plan serves as the roadmap to realizing your goals and creating a brand that transcends time, setting you apart from competitors and resonating with your target audience. By leveraging a strong brand strategy, you can increase the likelihood that customers will choose to work with you or buy your product, cementing your reputation as a leader in your industry. TLDR: It’s the framework for success.
Brand strategy involves developing and defining these elements:
BRAND PURPOSE
Your brand's purpose is at the heart of why your business exists and why it's relevant. By prioritizing the resolution of your customer's pain points, your brand purpose can serve as a driving force for your business. Your mission statement usually lives here.
BRAND VISION
Think “big picture.” Your brand vision is the overarching objective for your business, which you and your team constantly strive to achieveBRAND PERSONALITY + VOICE
To effectively communicate with your target audience, it's essential to define the appropriate brand personality and voice. Give your brand human qualities, and define how that personality would get their message across.BRAND VALUES + PILLARS
These values represent what your company stands for- the unshakable foundation you build your brand upon.BRAND POSITIONING & COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
Positioning involves distinguishing your business from its competitors by identifying the needs of your customers- and not just what you think they need.DREAM CLIENT PROFILE
Let your ideal client take the driver’s seat! Dig deep and learn what makes them tick – unearth their motivations, untangle their frustrations, so you can direct your messaging directly to them.
Once you have a brand strategy in place, you can employ it as a tool for evaluating every decision you make about your business. Whether you're contemplating a new marketing tactic, a brand partnership, or even onboarding a new hire, you can utilize this framework to determine the soundness of each choice.
Visual Identity
The visual identity part of your brand is exactly that- it’s what your customer (or future customer) sees. But it’s not just a logo. Your visual identity communicates all the nitty-gritty stuff that was developed during the brand strategy in a meaningful and engaging way, on everything you can possibly think of.
Every visual element of your business should be aligned, so that your customers, employees, and fans know exactly who is showing up. The more consistent these elements, the easier it is to build trust, inspire loyalty, and be memorable. These elements include:
BRAND LOGO
SECONDARY LOGOS + MARKS
TYPOGRAPHY
COLOR PALETTE
SUPPORTING GRAPHICS:
Patterns/Textures
Iconography
Shapes/Illustrations
SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
PHOTO/VIDEO STYLE + SUBJECTS
No matter what you do, first impressions count--they can make or break an opportunity to shine. Making lasting memories with your audience is a critical game-changer in the business world and it's essential if you want long-term success.
Branding is an opportunity to show off why YOU are so special, so it’s best you get it right! Ready to do this? HIRE ME BRO.
