Creating Your Brand and Reaching Your Audience
Building your brand starts with knowing who you are and understanding the mission behind your business. Once you understand that, naming your business and designing your logo will come more easily.
Your Branding Can:
Bring Brand Recognition
Reflect Your Business
Attract New customers
Influence Sales
Establish Trust
TIPS ON BUILDING YOUR BRAND:
1.) CLEARLY Identify Yourself.
What does your company stand for? Make it easy for people to understand what you do and understand it quickly by your logo. Avoid the tricky, fancy logo, with the subliminal meaning.
2.) Have a Clear Purpose.
What is the story and inspiration behind your business? Your Mission? Have this in mind, as you explore your brand. Make it clear what you do, and the products or services you offer.
3.) Define Your Target Audience.
Define your customer, and your brand "category", then create your brand to attract that customer. Make sure your color, style and design "theme" is appropriate for the look and feel of your product.
4.) Consider The Long- Term.
Avoid following trends or design fads. Stay with tried and true design that can last the test of time and not look outdated.
5.) Consider Your Color Palette.
Certain colors actually provoke certain emotions! Blue conveys trust and reliability, where
green conveys health, nature and finances. Below is a perfect graphic to explain:
6.) Choose Your Font Wisely.
Get the emotions you want your customer to feel by choosing the "right" font. (one or two will do!) See what fonts your competitors are using. Is your product serious or playful? Your font should convey that! Again, avoid the short-lived trendy fonts. Here is a great chart to help you visualize:
7.) Choose Your Logo "type".
How long is your business name? Is it 3 capital letters or a phrase? Will your logo be text or text and symbol/or illustration? Consider how your company name will be displayed:
• WORDMARK- text only logotype. (Like: GOOGLE)
• MONOGRAM-One to 4 letters. ( Like: HBO)
•COMBINATION- A word and a symbol/illustration.( Like Burger King)
• BRANDMARK-A brandmark logo is a standalone image or symbol. (Like: Nike)
• EMBLEM-Text inside of a container, like a circle, which can be more intricate with illustrative elements, or mascot character. (Like: KFC logo emblem)
8.) Consider Your Marketing.
Where will your logo mainly be seen? Will it ONLY be online or will it be in print and on wearable items? Consider different versions of your logo or decide the shape of your logo depending on where it will be displayed most. Will it be seen online on different media profiles in a circle shape? Did you want a simplified logo version to go on a hat or a pen?
• Branding is the first impression your customers will have of your product or company. It is the combination of marketing and advertising that form a cohesive snapshot of your company.
• Customers are more likely to trust a brand when they understand what the direction of the company is and connect to the feeling the brand portrays.
There are many things to take into consideration when branding your business with your colors, fonts and creating your logo! Hopefully, this gets you going in the right direction! ~Sarah
Sarah Bryce is a freelance marketing/graphic designer serving Bethany Beach and local coastal towns in Sussex County and beyond. www.sarahbrycedesigns.com