The biggest mistake I see business owners making is that they don't pay enough attention to their brand. This is usually because the definition of “brand” is misunderstood. Brands aren't simply names, logos, or websites. Brands are valuable business assets, and these assets need investment, experience and constant attention.
A brand is your relationship with your customer. If you keep it healthy, it will help you build loyalty. This may sound simple, but not everyone knows this insider brand advice. When building your brand for the first time, start with what you like.
Look for brands you like inside and outside your industry. Make a detailed list of the parts you like about brands. Do you like aggressive brands with uppercase fonts and dark colors like Harley Davidson? Or comic brands that seem a little over the top, like Old Spice or Wendy's Twitter account? Combine what you like best to create your own unique brand. Strategies to help you increase your sales efforts Everything you need to offer top-notch customer service The information you need to make smarter business decisions Your essential daily reading on everything related to AI and business.
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Free and Premium Plans Content Management Software. Free and premium plans Try another search and we'll do the best we can. Developing a brand identity requires more than creating a logo. Although a logo can be the symbol of a company, it is not the entirety of a brand.
In fact, creating a logo is just a small step toward developing a strong brand identity. With millions, if not billions, of companies trying to make a name for themselves, having a strong brand has become crucial for companies to differentiate themselves from their competitors. If you're working to develop your first brand identity for a customer, or you're doing it for your own business, it's important to first understand what a brand is and what it takes to create it. We'll explore strong examples of brand identities, as well as how to create one for your own business, according to brand strategists.
The terms brand and logo are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. Originally, the term brand was used to refer to the brand that farmers marked on their cattle. A brand is a characteristic or set of characteristics that distinguishes one organization from another. A brand is generally comprised of a name, slogan, logo or symbol, design, brand voice, and more.
Brand identity, then, is the aspect of the brand that focuses on the personality of its brand, as well as on the values it transmits to customers. As Wayfair's senior brand manager, Jared Rosen, says, brand identity is more than simply finding the right logo to place on coffee cup covers or to place above the front door. It's about creating a personality that amplifies the core elements of your brand's DNA. Today, the most compelling brand identities are spread across digital platforms, real-life experiences, and even naturally converse with real customers.
Ultimately, your product leaves an impression on your customers long after you've made the sale. Brand identity is the process of giving shape to that impression. When you hear the name Coca-Cola, you probably imagine its familiar logo, shown above. Hustle & Hope is a brand that positions its products as more than just a greeting card.
Their stationery and cards address more difficult topics, such as job search and personal development. By combining simple, inspiring messages with a code on the back of the card that leads to digital content and advice, the cards are intended to level up the recipient in some way. Founder Ashley Sutton always wanted to found a stationery company, but after a career working at some of the top Fortune 500 companies, she became passionate about empowering people to do their best professionally. POP Fit has a beautiful brand with bright pinks, purples, and yellows, but that's not even a core element of their brand identity.
Perhaps one of the most impressive things about this brand is its radical representation found in all its messages. According to its website, POP Fit Clothing was based on the idea that representation, inclusion and body positivity are important both in fashion and in the media. That's why their sizes range from XXS to 4XL and have an exclusive four-way stretch fabric. After its humble beginnings in beekeeping and selling honey, Burt's Bees grew to meet the need for all-natural and sustainable personal products.
The company seeks to make thoughtful decisions to reduce our impact on nature and to work to protect biodiversity, thereby preserving our own place in the world. Its initial logo (pictured above), representing the bearded founder, underlines the feeling of simplicity and modesty. This contrasts sharply with the aesthetics that other beauty and personal care products embody. Asana's mission is to help humanity thrive by allowing teams around the world to work together effortlessly.
The founders started at Facebook, where it was clear that they needed a project management and collaboration tool that would allow teams to work together more smoothly. In Sanskrit, Asana refers to a specific position in which yogis sit, and the company's name pays homage to Buddhist principles of concentration and fluency. Then, with no expectations or intention of opening a store, he went through the perfect space to rent. Soon after, the place was his own and he was building shelves.
The bookstore's mission is to promote the connection between literature, art and the search for knowledge; at the same time, to use the power of words to improve our community. You'll also notice that their visual branding demonstrates a Chicago atmosphere, while also showing people reading and enjoying the store. Marcella NYC started from founder Siyana Huszar's apartment and grew to become a notable brand, combining classic silhouettes with a simple look. Their goal was to make affordable, high-end clothing and also to take a more sustainable approach to fashion.
Empowering women and girls became an integral part of Marcella NYC's brand identity. Each of these facets works together to create a cohesive brand identity. When you look at any item of clothing, you know it's Marcella NYC. In the examples above, the brand is much larger than the company's logo or images.
We'll talk more about this in the following sections. As the embodiment of just about everything your company is and does, a brand identity can inspire customers and increase a sense of loyalty to your brand. Brand identity, therefore, is crucial to the future of your company. So, if your brand is more than just its logo, how can you replicate what brands like Coca-Cola have done and instill other unique elements into your company's identity? For all intents and purposes, your brand logo is the face of your company.
But that face should do more than look cool or interesting, the contribution of a logo to brand identity is also associative. Having a brand identity not only makes your product more memorable, it also makes your brand more authoritative in the market. A brand that establishes a face and maintains it consistently over time, develops credibility among its competitors and trust among its customers. Brand identity is a template for everything you would include in an ad for your company, whether it's in print, online, or a pre-sale ad on YouTube.
When you create an identity for your brand, you're giving it something to represent. That, in turn, gives your company a purpose. We all know that companies have mission statements, right? Well, you can't have one without first giving your brand an identity. A brand identity with a face, trust and mission attracts people who agree with what your brand has to offer.
But once these people become customers, that same brand identity gives them a sense of belonging. A good product generates customers, but a good brand generates followers. If you want your company to become a well-known and beloved brand, it's going to take some work. The following steps will help you build a brand identity.
These are simple steps, implementing them, however, is another story. Just like any other aspect of building a business, the first step in creating a brand identity is to complete market research. You should clarify and understand these five things. As HubSpot's brand strategist, James Zabik, told me: “One of the most important things to consider when creating a brand identity is how your messages will resonate with your target audience.
Start by discovering your audience's pain points and communicating how your company or product helps to solve them. Zabik adds: “You may have an eye-catching logo and eye-catching marketing text, but if you don't address your customers' pain points clearly and effectively, it will be a challenge to create a strong and lasting brand identity. It's no secret that different people want different things. You can't (usually) target a product to a preteen the same way you would segment a product to a college student.
Learning what your audience wants from a company in your industry is vital to creating a brand that people love. What makes your company unique in its industry? What can you offer your consumers that others can't? Knowing the difference between you and your competition is essential to developing a successful brand. Keeping an eye on your competitors will also teach you which branding techniques work well and which don't. You know what your company offers, but make sure you have a clear and direct mission statement that outlines your vision and goals.
Callie Wilkinson, senior brand manager at HubSpot, says, “Don't be afraid to stand up for something”. Now more than ever, customers are attracted to brands that align with their values. Inject your mission and vision into everything you do and seek meaningful partnerships with people and organizations that share those values. Are you a confident company with a lot of sassiness, like Nike? Or are you luxurious and professional, like Givenchy? Either way, be sure to develop your brand as a way to represent your business.
Research can be boring, but the more you know about your business, the stronger your brand identity will be. Finally, performing a SWOT analysis can be beneficial to better understand your brand. Taking into account the characteristics of the brand will help you find the characteristics you want to portray in the brand. Although the logo is not the entirety of the brand identity, it is a vital element in the brand creation process, it is the most recognizable part of the brand.
It's on everything from your website to your business cards to your online ads. As imperative as your logo is to the brand, it's not the only element that strengthens a brand's identity. Your products, packaging, or the way you present your services must play a role in your brand identity. Visually representing your company in everything you do will create consistency and help create familiarity with your consumers.
Take McDonald's golden arches as an example. They used an interesting shape to create the iconic M, which is now recognizable around the world. Creating a color palette is one way to improve your identity. It provides you with variety so you can create unique designs for your business while remaining true to the brand identity.
The type can also be a double-edged sword if not used correctly. Although mix-and-match typographic design has become a trend, that doesn't mean that mixing a handful of fonts is necessarily a good idea for your business. In your logo, on your website and in any document your company creates (printed and digital), there must be a consistent use of typography. If you take a look at Nike's website and its ads, it maintains the same typeface and typographic style in every aspect of the business and works wonders.
Creating templates (even for a detail as small as email signatures) will give your company a more unified, credible, and professional look. As has already been mentioned in almost every step (I can't stress it enough), consistency is what can make or break a brand's identity. Use the above-mentioned templates and follow the design options you have chosen for your brand in all areas of your business to create a harmonious brand identity. Yes, consistency is crucial, but maintaining flexibility in a society that always seeks the second best option is just as important.
The flexibility allows you to make adjustments to advertising campaigns, slogans and even modernize your overall brand identity so that you can continuously maintain the interest of your audience. The key is to keep all the changes you make consistent across your brand (p. e.g. One of the most effective ways to ensure that a company complies with its brand rules is to create a set of brand guidelines that document everything you should and should not do with your brand.
Skype is a brand that has done an incredible job of creating a clear and consistent brand guide that anyone can follow. This is a way to empower people to create brand assets and share them while still complying with the brand. Now that you've established your brand within your company and taken all the necessary steps to develop it, you're ready to integrate your brand into your community. In HubSpot's Branding in the Inbound Age e-book, Patrick Shea writes: “In every sense, your content is your online brand.”.
It's your seller, your store, your marketing department; it's your story and every piece of content you publish reflects and defines your brand. Boring content, boring brand. Use language that fits your brand's personality. If your brand identity is high-level, use professional language; if your brand is relaxed, be more conversational.
A strong brand identity can establish an emotional connection with consumers, which can be a strong foundation for building a lasting relationship with a brand. Designing ads, whether traditional or digital, is the most effective way to introduce your brand to the world. It's a way to make your brand message seen and heard by your target audience. Coca-Cola, once again, makes great use of the real estate from its Facebook cover photo by keeping it consistent with the theme of happiness.
Social media is also important when it comes to talking directly with your customers and building an affinity with your brand. If they mention you in a tweet, status, or post (especially if the customer has any questions or concerns), make sure you give your brand a good reputation by responding efficiently to your customers. You can take all the steps to create a strong brand identity, but if you're guilty of any of the following practices, your brand could fail or fail. Know what you want to say and use appropriate language and images to say it.
Just because it makes sense to you doesn't mean it makes sense to your customers. Your competition might have an exemplary brand, and because you're selling the same products or services, you might want to do what you know works, not. Yes, your printed material may look a little different from your online presence, but the colors, type, theme, and message must be consistent. As with other aspects of your marketing, it's hard to know what you're doing right (and what you're not) without tracking key performance metrics.
This will give you the opportunity to implement changes to your brand as needed, whether to correct an error or to improve brand identity. As Zabik says, test, learn and optimize. Learn what differentiates your brand from the competition and learn to communicate it in a way that builds trust. If your product lives up to the expectations you generate, you'll start to build momentum among customers who believe in your brand.
Creating a memorable brand requires constant use of type, color, imagery, and language, but it's worth it. When consumers instantly recognize who you are and what you stand for based on a logo, you've become more than just a name and symbol. Get advice from marketing experts straight to your inbox and become a better seller. Subscribe to the marketing blog below.
Do you want to learn how to create a blog like this? We started with a publication, Download the free e-book Promote and Grow Your Business with Customer Relationship Management Software. To build a powerful brand, you must first define your brand identity. Start by clearly understanding your company's core values, mission, and unique selling proposition. Identify what differentiates you from the competition and how you want your target audience to perceive your brand.
Create a compelling brand story that resonates with your customers and creates an emotional connection. This foundation will guide your visual elements, your messages, and your overall brand strategy. HubSpot Podcast Network is the destination for business professionals looking for the best education on how to grow a business. In other words, know the purpose of your business, you can't create a personality for a business unless you know what that business is about.
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