Branding… So much more than just a logo

When it comes to branding a business, most people’s first thought is the visual aspect; a logo. It’s the persona of your business, what it is, what it provides and the ways in which you get your business out there.

It’s a first impression that potential customers have with your business, and you know what they say about first impressions… You only get one.

So, why is branding so important? 

Competition
Regardless of the kind of company you have, what type of audience you’re looking to entice – you will inevitably have a lot of competition. Your branding defines what makes you unique and shows your customers why they should go for you over your competitors.
Recognition
Your branding builds trust and recognition with your target audience and in your market. With the right branding – a well-designed logo, website and additional assets – you can create a distinct style that will set you apart from your competitors.
Consistency
To help your business succeed, you need to give your customer a consistent experience in whichever way they interact with your brand – whether it’s through your social media, email, your website, a phone call or an in-person event – if you’re consistent over all aspects of your business you’re more likely to get repeat business.
Connection
What will make it even more successful is if there’s an emotional connection between your business and your customer. An emotional connection can turn a potential customer into a paying one. A paying customer can then extend your audience, be it a social media post of your product / service, a review or through word of mouth.

There are six branding essentials for every business:

• Domain Name – So you have your business, and you need to get your domain name for your website. It will need to align with your brand, be easy for your customers to find, easy to remember, as well as being easy to spell.
• Website – Online, your website is your shop window, it’s the face of your company, so you need to catch the eyes of potential customers enough for them to look further than your homepage. It needs to be easy to navigate, up-to-date, and even the smallest of details like font choice and colours speak volumes to your brand identity.
• Colours – You can tell when branding is being done right, when you can associate a certain colour to a certain brand. Take McDonalds for example, you know the bright yellow and red represents them, it’s instantly recognisable.
• Logo – A logo makes your brand memorable. It’s what people associate products or services with your business. For example, the Apple logo – you immediately think of iPhones, Macbooks and iPads, am I right?
• Voice – Your tone and voice should be consistent through all avenues of your business. Are you Professional? Comical? Academic? Conversational? Whichever tone of voice you are, your mission statement and brand values are the foundations of your business and your tone and voice should uphold those foundations.
• Images – Your visual identity should be as strong as your written one. Regardless of the platform you use, take into account the five points above, reflect the tone of your brand, follow a colour palette and include your logo, be selective in what images you choose.

Once you know who you are as a brand, it will be much easier to market it. If you get to the heart and soul of your business and your target audience, a successful brand you will have.