What is Branding?
A brand is the characteristic building blocks of your business. It is what your customers, existing and potential, resonates with. Your brand consists of your name, logo, color scheme, messaging, values, and more! It should be consistent across all communication channels to remain impactful.
Companies of all sizes can benefit from a thoughtful, and consistent brand. This can give you a competitive edge from the very first impression. Some brands have the ability to create an entire community just based off of the feeling that it gives off.
A successful brand invariably results in superior profit and marketing performance. A brand name can set a product or service apart and add significant value as a capital asset.
How Do You Create a Brand?
Powerful branding comes from deliberate brainstorming. It is not a quick process, as it should be detailed in every essence of the creation. Trying to take shortcuts while creating your brand can be recipe for disaster, as potential customers will be able to see the effort that was put into it.
By starting with the end in mind, your brand creation process will be at its best. What is the emotion/impression that you want someone to have within the first few moments of being introduced to it? When that is clearly understood, each creative decision should embody that emotion/impression.
How long does it take to build a brand?
Building a brand is not an overnight task, and sometimes can take a very long time. The most important aspect of creating a strong brand is to stay consistent and honest. When your brand represents the core value/message that your business is trying to get across, the synergy will allow the process to become quicker.
Also, keep in mind that companies often go through rebranding phases. Rebranding can happen for different reasons, and is not necessarily a bad thing! However, it is best to create an initial brand that is strong and clear.
Do I need a logo to build a brand?
A logo is a building block of a strong brand, but is not always the focal point. There are many logos that are simple, but it’s the business practices and values that create a sense of importance for that simple logo. If your business does great work, and makes customers happy, the logo will follow suit. We will still recommend a logo that is engaging, neat, and aesthetically-pleasing, because none of those things hurt!
How can I develop a brand on a small budget?
Luckily, in today’s society, there are many digital tactics that will help accelerate your business’ brand. Some of these tactics include consistent social media engagement, content marketing, partnerships, and workshops. There is one word that ties all of the tactics together, and that word is simply “value.” By adding value, which can be done no matter the budget, your brand will be sure to expand.