Defining Your Brand
What’s a Brand Identity and How do You Get One?
Launching a fruitful business in today’s world is…complicated. You need more than a great product or service, more than conscientious employees or a solid website. Brands that attract attention in 2021 have a proven strategy and an unforgettable brand identity.
Your Brand Identity, Explained
Ultimately, a brand identity is the umbrella term for a business’ personality. Think of it like an individual’s. Some people are easygoing, quick to laugh. Others button up a bit more and focus on tasks and goals, hammering their to-do list with a furrowed brow and a 15-minute lunch break.
A cohesive brand has an outward expression that works the same way. Between the name and logo, visual appearance, and communication style, every brand should project an authentic identity. If one element feels off, customers will know. And like that weird uncle, folks will steer clear.
Where to Begin
Before you can nail down tangibles (like logo), it helps to ask a few key questions. Because starting too early on color schemes and fonts could confuse the issue. Your shoes aren’t your personality but an expression of it, right? Therefore, anything concrete in a business should reflect its identity. Begin at one point, and the rest will come together more naturally. It helps to start with these:
What problem(s) does your business solve for customers?
What can people expect when they use your business?
What qualities do you hope people associate with your company?
What is your company’s mission?
What’s your business’ story (when/where/why did it start)?
What makes you different from similar businesses?
What to do Next
Once you have a clear idea about the internal anatomy of your brand, you can move on to more concrete qualities. Every brand needs these essentials:
- Logo – Colors, images…you know the drill. Get a great one, place it everywhere, and protect it like it’s made of feathers.
- Tagline – Craft a meaningful and concise statement that captures the soul of your brand.
- Message/Voice – Snarky but endearing? Sweet but assertive? Decide how you want to speak to people and for goodness’ sake, keep it consistent. All written communication and visual imagery should align with your brand voice.
- Website – Drench your digital domain with all the above.
- Print/Digital Materials – To spread the word and engage with existing and prospective clients, you’ll need loads of marketing collateral.
When combining these components, make sure your brand remains: distinct, scalable and flexible, and cohesive. If people don’t recognize your brand for being dependable, modern, and user-friendly, you’ll have a hard time staying competitive.
Final Thoughts
Branding is critical for EVERY business, large or small, B2B or retail. If nothing else, your brand identity makes a promise to your customer. It sprouts from a mix of who you are, how you want people to perceive you, and how they actually do.
If you complete the research and foundational work to develop a strong brand personality, you’ve done your business a lasting service. Of course, sustaining your mission, voice, and customer communication strategy involves a whole other bag of tricks. But fear not, you never have to brave the marketing lunacy alone.
Xpressdocs has the tools to protect your brand identity and consolidate your marketing efforts. To learn more about our breadth of services and solutions, head to our website and speak to one of our experts today.