Branding and Consistency – 6 Steps You Need To Follow

brand is a feature or set of features that distinguish one organisation from another.

A brand usually consists of a name, tagline, logo or symbol, design, brand voice, and more. It also refers to the overall experience a customer undergoes when interacting with a business — as a shopper, customer, social media follower, or even a passerby.

Your brand is one of your businesses most important assets.  It gives your business an identity, makes your business memorable, encourages consumers to buy from you, builds trust with your customer.  Plus it supports your marketing and advertising.

Branding can be a deciding factor for your customers, when they make a purchase decision. In 2015 a global Nielsen survey found that almost 60% of shoppers said they actively buy from brands they know, and 21% said they bought a product because they like the brand.

Branding gives your business an identity more than just  its product or service. It gives customers something to relate to and connect with. Branding makes your business memorable. It’s the face of your business and helps consumers recognise your business across every platform.

Here are 5 Steps to create your brand.

STEP 1 – Determine your target audience

If your brand doesn’t connect with your audience, it won’t drive the awareness, trust and ultimately the revenue you need.

So, do some research, talk to as many people as you can and  answer these questions:

  • Who does your product serve?
  • What problem is your product or service solving?
  • Who is your ideal customer?
  • Why did you create your business in the first place?

STEP 2 – Write Your Mission Statement

Your mission statement goes back to my last question.  Why did you start your business? Answering this will help you define your purpose and passion as a business.  You must be able to communicate the purpose of your business and what you provide to your customers.  Once you’ve stated this, every part of your brand will reflect this mission and vision.

Patagonia: “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis”.

Tesla:  “To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy”.

STEP 3 – Define your uniqueness.  Qualities, Benefits, Difference

So let’s be honest, unless you’ve found the magical unicorn, you won’t be the ONLY business in your market doing what you do.  However the one thing you have that your competitors don’t, is ………..your BRAND.  Your brand values, benefits and qualities make your business unique.

So take some time and write down what sets your business apart from your competitors. Not an easy one.  Here’s how we answered this question.

“As a digital agency we love to talk, either face to face or on the phone.”

For us we know our competitors often don’t want to “talk”, they’re happy to email or use “chat” bots – but not actually talk.

STEP 4 – The fun stuff – Create your actual brand assets

We’re talking about logo’s, taglines, colour palettes, font types, language and any other visual aids / imagery.

While you’re doing this, it’s time to start building your Style Guide.  This is a set of ‘rules’ around the use of your visual assets and their composition.  For example not changing the ‘aspect ratio’ or simply put the proportions of your logo.  Not using certain words in copy. This can be super fun or super scary, so if you’re stuck reach out to a professional.  A little cost upfront will ease a whole lotta pain later!

STEP 5 – Finding your brands VOICE

Think of it this way – If your brand could have a conversation with you or even send you a text, what would it sound like?  How you communicate is part of your brand, how you sound and the language you use. Your brand voice needs to connect with your target audience and be recognisable.

So, if your target market is a 35 – 55 year old male who’s into chopper bikes and muscle cars you’re going to use very different language and tone (your voice) than if your  target market is a 15 – 19yr old girl, who’s into makeup, right?  And hey, your voice can have light and shade. It can be professional with a touch of fun or youthful and light but also intelligent…..

Find your “voice” and use it in all that you do!

And lastly

STEP 6 – Now it’s time to put your brand into all that you do.

”If Content is King then, Consistency is Queen”

This means applying your brand components across every touch point within your business, no matter how large or small. Website, Socials, Packaging, Staff, Emails, CRM – you  name it.  Layer your brand across Every. Single. Touchpoint.

 

KBB Digital Marketing

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No sales pitch just great advice for you to take away and use as you wish.

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