Let’s make you a branding guru!
It is easy to confuse the term “branding” with some mysterious force that makes your brand famous, or to think it is just the visual elements, which is actually just one part of the vast process that we know as Branding.
The thing is, branding cannot be done in one single step. It takes a lot of time, effort, and a certain process before you can successfully create an identity for your brand.
Let’s assume you own a company named A. Now, come take a look at the step-by-step branding process which will help A become the ultimate brand in its industry.
Primarily, the branding process happens in two broad phases. One is Research and the other is Execution.
Before diving straight into making things happen and executing any action, there is certain information that we need to know.
Starting off with Research, let’s see what we have to do and the things that need to be figured out to start the planning process.
1. Analysis
First, we have to analyze the market for the product or service and its competition. We have to ask what the features of the product/service are and who are the competitors in the market. Another important thing is to find out what strategy they’re using, what they’re doing right, and where they’re going wrong.
2. Positioning
We have to position the brand by defining its uniqueness, how it will be perceived in the market and in the customers’ minds.
3. Determine target group
It is crucial to determine the target audience and how the brand will benefit them. Remember, we shouldn’t create customers for our product, rather create products for our customers.
4. Brand statement
Stating the brand statement is an important part of the Branding process. It defines what the brand is, what it stands for, and everything we want our brand to be.
5. Set goals and objectives
One critical step is to draw up a plan for the future and set specific goals. We need to ask ourselves where we want to see our brand in the coming years.
After all this research, it’s time for some action. Let’s go through some Execution steps to bring out the desired results.
Execution steps
Naming
We have to name the brand. It’s absolutely vital to come up with a suitable name for the brand. It may be something as simple as Apple, or something that represents a message like Jaguar.
Color palette
It is essential to develop a color palette for the brand. Colors represent many things and can emotionally influence people. That is why it is essential to use colors that best suit the values, culture, and theme of the brand. The color palette will not just be presented in the logo, it will be used in all the visual representations of the brand.
Logo
The logo is a major aspect of brand creation. That’s why we need to create a stunning logo. It represents the way we want to see our brand and how we want others to see it. We have to keep in mind that something that looks good on a digital screen may not look the same in other environments or a variety of surfaces. For this reason, it is better to test the logo in all possible placements to make sure there won’t be any confusion or misrepresentation. A professional agency would be able to help us out in crafting a great brand logo which in turn will enhance the brand value. The logo does not have to be an intricate design of symbols and art, it should just show who we are. Here are some world-famous brand logos.
Other visual elements
Designing the other visual elements of the brand is also very important. The logo is not the only visual element of our brand. Even though the logo should be the main focus, there are other visual elements like typography, icons and fonts, business cards, letterheads and correspondence, and other advertising & promotional elements. The most important thing to remember is consistency. Because consistency develops brand recognition.
Tone of voice
We have to determine the brand’s tone of voice. The voice of our brand depends on the brand’s mission, its target audience, and the product/service type. It determines how we communicate with our customers and how they will respond to us. The tone can be professional, service-oriented, promotional, conversational, or even light-humored. The options are limitless and also really flexible. This tone will be used in all verbal communication of the brand. Starting from the taglines, commercials, emails, correspondence, how we reply to customer queries, and even the office culture will be defined by the brand’s tone of voice. It may vary from brand to brand. Check out some of these interesting examples.
Brand message
We have to develop a brand message. It is a short introduction of our brand to the customers. It goes beyond tagline and defines the key aspects of who we are, what we offer, and why people should care. It is the bridge that will build a personal relationship between the brand and the customers. The important thing to remember is to keep the brand message short, simple, and clear. And, we also need to maintain consistency between the brand voice and brand message.
Each step is as important as the other. But don’t let all these steps scare you. Branding is all about turning your passion into reality. Make your brand as memorable as possible so that your customers keep coming back to you. And you’ll discover that proper branding will help you understand your business better as well as develop a stronger relationship with your customers. Get to know how branding can completely change your business.
So why wait, embrace branding and make your business grow!