You’re a new business, you’re excited to get going, where do you start?
Chances are; it’s probably your logo and I 100% get it.
However, creating a solid brand identity is more than just a logo or a colour scheme. It’s the way your brand is perceived by your audience.
So, in this blog post, we’ll explore how to go beyond aesthetics and delve into your branding before you design a logo, to create a brand identity that truly resonates with your audience.
1. Know Your Audience
The first step in creating a brand identity that resonates with your audience is to know who your audience is.
- What are their needs?
- What are their pain points?
- What annoys the hell out of them?
- What makes them happy?
- What little thing would make their life easier?
- How would your product or service help them reach their goals?
Once you have a clear understanding of your audience, you can create a brand identity that speaks directly to them. Don’t be afraid to get personal here. People like to think that you are talking directly to them.
2. Define Your Purpose
The next step is to define your purpose. What is your brand’s mission? What do you stand for? What are your values? What gets you out of bed in the morning, even on the coldest and darkest of days? Essentially…
What is your Why?
Defining your purpose will help you create a brand identity that is authentic and meaningful.
3. Develop Your Personality
This is the clincher for me, on a personal level.
I hate – with an absolute passion – businesses with no personality, what-so-ever. You never see a face or an opinion. You never gauge that they have even a hint of a sense of humour.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but this puts me off working with a business, because I feel like I don’t know who they are, what they are and that I don’t quite trust them.
Your brand’s personality is what sets you apart from your competitors. It’s the way you communicate with your audience and the tone you use. Developing your brand’s personality is an important step in creating a brand identity that resonates with your audience.
If you work with us, your branding voice WILL have a personality – because that’s my main goal in creating content for our clients.
4. Clearly State What You Have Done Before
It’s important to clearly state what you have done before. This will help build trust with your audience and establish your brand as an authority in your industry. Be sure to highlight your accomplishments and any awards or recognition you have received.
I know, we’re British and sharing our achievements is “cringey” and “embarrassing”, or “awkward”, but it’s time to stop hiding them, because we did something amazing to have gained those accomplishments, and what’s the point of working our butts off, if we don’t shout about them.
I don’t mean you should ram them down the throats of anyone who will listen, at any given moment.
What I am saying is that you should mention them on your social media profiles, as well as include them in the footer of your website, as a bare minimum.
5. Design Your Elements
Finally, we are at the point of your branding journey, that I know you are most excited about…
It’s time to design your brand elements. This includes your:
- Logo
- Colour scheme
- Typography
And any other visual elements that will be associated with your brand.
Make sure your design choices are consistent with your brand, and project the overall message that means the most to you.
We’ll be discussing logo design, what works, what doesn’t and what you need to think about before creating your business logo, throughout February, so make sure you’re following Brussel Sprout on either Instagram or Facebook.