DID YOU REALISE THAT BRANDING AND LOGOS ARE NOT THE SAME? 🤯
A logo is an identification tool for your business, usually represented as a mark or symbol. It is a vital part of your overall branding. A device that incorporates into all the different mediums your customer experiences.
When considered as a whole, all of these touchpoints are your brand. In other words, it's the different ways you connect with your customers. Rather than being a medium to sell, it provides meaning to your product or service and evokes emotion in a customer when they interact with your brand. It is your brand's personality. However, it is shaped by your customers as well.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GREAT LOGO AND GREAT BRANDING? 😮
As mentioned, a logo is simply a way to identify your product or services, but it doesn't evoke your branding's emotion. An essential aspect of branding usually includes a great logo, but it's rarely the basis of exceptional branding itself.
But what exactly do we mean by 'exceptional branding'? It's something which has been used by some of the biggest and most successful companies around the world.
Apple has nailed its branding with a sleek and minimalist approach, which connects flawlessly over several different mediums. As a result, their audience raves about it. Equally, the international brand Starbucks has set itself apart from the competition with a warm, inviting yet eco-friendly portrayal that is so much more than just coffee. Then there's the American retailer Target, a quirky and fun brand that encapsulates its mission to find customers the best deals.
So what about smaller businesses? They certainly don't need to use radical tactics which the big giants use to create a distinctive brand. In fact, the rules are pretty simple. Create something clear, concise and consistent, and you're onto a winner!
THE KEY COMPONENTS OF SUCCESSFUL BRANDING
Here are 10 points the we always address when we start to work with a new clients, developing their branding. Follow these points and be on your way to branding success!
PERSONALITY - 👩🎨
For outstanding branding, first, work out what your company stands for. How does that help your brand grow? How do your customers and employees see you? People perceive brands strongly when they radiate their philosophy well.
LOGO - 🧩
Considering it's potentially the first thing your customer sees in terms of your branding, you need to get it right. It needs to evoke trust in your brand, and it needs to be unique. However, if your organization is heavily sales-based, it should also encourage people to buy.
TONE - 👂
Your brand is your business's personality. So your content needs to use all the right words to radiate this. Most organizations agree that being helpful, without being too pushy, is an excellent tone to adopt. Ultimately, the tone chosen can be used to instigate other design choices, like imagery and colour.
IMAGERY - 📸
You might not have realised it, but using quality imagery alone can help your business appear unique and trustworthy. The choice of images you use can make, or break, your entire brand. So before you choose generic stock photography, consider something more professional. Your brand will thank you for it!
COLOUR - 🎨
The use of colour isn't just to 'pretty things up'. It requires some serious decision making, and choosing the right colour is no easy feat. So much so that there's an entire science behind it! Invest enough time to choose the right colours for your brand to position your products correctly and always give out the right tone.
PATTERNS & TEXTURES - 🔲
Different types of brands demand different use of patterns and textures in their branding. An off-road experience company clearly wouldn't benefit from a flat and straightforward design. But that doesn't mean that companies demanding a more clean appearance should altogether avoid any sense of texture or pattern. It's surprising what difference a little of this can make to make an otherwise dull brand exciting.
TYPOGRAPHY - ⌨️
The typography you choose not only sets your brand's mood but also determines whether your audience sees it positively or negatively. So, consider your target audience and select typography that resonates well with them.
LANDING PAGES - 🏠
When it comes to landing pages, people make their mind up within the first 50 milliseconds of seeing them. The best ones tend to communicate your brand quickly, with the ability to capture the user's attention, gain their trust, and hopefully convert them into a paying customer.
IINTERATION POINTS - 🥂
Your brand isn't just on your website. It's virtually everywhere. It's when you're having a meeting with a client, and it's even there when you answer the phone in the office. So make sure that it's perceived well at every touchpoint.
Finally, provide a design brief to your designer so they can tailor your branding or logo to your vision as best possible. Don't forget to include the colour scheme, company name, type of logo and overall message. And always remember your budget and timeline. Finally, when you start rolling out your branding across different mediums, don't forget to keep it all consistent. Consistency is key!
Oh, and more thing you need to know. NEVER scrimp on a cheap logo!
You might be convinced that the best choice is to choose a freelancer producing logos for a fiver on Upwork or similar websites. After all, their portfolio may look all right, and they have decent ratings. Unfortunately, the chances are that what is produced won't live up to your original expectations.
You can't expect for a few pounds someone to be fully invested in your business, the same way you are. Cheap logos often compiled quickly using recycled logos or items pasted together in Photoshop with some dodgy filters and crap stock imagery thrown in for good effect.
Perhaps for £300 or £600, your designer would spend a lot more time tweaking and reworking the design and making it unique. Of course, if you're willing to invest more cash, say £1000 at a creative agency, you'd have an entire team working on your logo, producing something that will be out of this world and perfect for your business.
In a nutshell, it's always worth investing as much as you can for your company banding. After all, first impressions are everything.
Needing some advice on how to move forward with you brand? - We would be happy to have a FREE casual chat with you to go over it with you.
👉 Click HERE to get yourself booked in.
#creativeagency #designagency #creative #lovethatmedia #marketing #digitalmarketing #pr #blog #news #branding #logo #logodesign #brand #entreprener #brandingdesign #design #corporate #designagency #creativeagency #socialmediamarketing #socialmediacontent #content
Comments