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Top 10 Tips For Developing Your Brand Identity

Top 10 Tips For Developing Your Brand Identity

In today's world, consumers are looking for authenticity, and that's why a brand's identity is the key to its success.

To develop a strong brand identity, you need to think about your business and its image. You need to take everything you do (in every aspect of your business) and make it reflect your brand. 

If you focus on developing your brand identity, your identity will be stronger. This article shares our top 10 tips for developing your brand identity.

If you want to build your brand or take it to the next level, you need to consider branding as an afterthought and the centrepiece of your entire marketing strategy.

Table of Contents

1 – Consider your brand a living organism with the potential to evolve.

History Of The Starbucks Logo

Brands are made up of many different elements and components. Some people may recognise logos, colours, slogans, and branding messages. 

While these are all essential pieces, a brand is more than just the sum of its parts. Like any living organism, a brand has the potential to grow, change, and develop over time. 

By making conscious decisions about what you want to stand for and what you want your brand to become, you can build a unique, engaging, and memorable brand.

Take an honest look at your current branding.

Branding is your brand's overall image, the logo, the tagline, and everything else you put out there that represents your business. Branding doesn't just describe your business; it is the whole thing. 

Like many small businesses, you may use a logo you've had for years and keep adding little words around it to make it bigger. That's not good branding. 

The purpose of a logo isn't to draw attention to itself. It should work in harmony with your business's larger message and reinforce that message by helping people understand the nature of your company. Make sure the logo represents who you are, not simply what you do.

Don't make promises you can't keep.

For example, if you say “100% satisfaction guaranteed” on your company's website, you can't guarantee that your customers won't have any problems in the future. Even if you have a fantastic warranty, people aren't likely to take you seriously if you tell them your company isn't reliable.

If a company promises something, it should deliver. It's part of what makes a company valuable, after all, and if that promise isn't kept, it's likely to be the first thing consumers will notice. 

When a brand promises, it should always be accurate and backed up by objective evidence. And since a brand is the company's identity, if the promise isn't delivered, the company loses its core value. This is especially true for brands with high aspirations, such as Nike or Apple.

2 – Create a visual identity for your brand.

Sustainable Brand Identity

Your brand needs a face and a voice, and both are best created visually. People connect emotionally with logos, slogans, and colours, and often it takes more than a simple logo or slogan to convince people to act. 

The easiest way to build an emotional connection with your brand is to create a visual identity. This could include a logo, a tagline, a colour palette, and even a mascot.

Use the right design and imagery for your brand.

Design is the visual side of marketing. Whether it's the logos or websites, the design and images you create can help establish your company's identity. This is especially important for a business that needs to convey a strong brand and image.

People don't buy products; they buy brands. Consumers want to identify with a particular company. One of the ways they do this is by associating themselves with the brand's image, the company's reputation, and its overall identity. 

Companies spend money on their brands to build their reputation and convey the message they wish to send to their customers and potential customers. The more consumers identify with your company, the more likely they purchase your products.

Create a memorable logo.

One of the biggest challenges to any business owner is creating a brand identity. Creating a logo that defines your business is one of the easiest ways to establish your brand. 

A strong logo creates brand recognition and establishes a company's reputation. A strong company image makes people think of your business, not the competition.

There's no shortage of examples of coming up with a memorable logo. The point is that you're trying to establish an identity that resonates with your customers. But your logo shouldn't feel too familiar. And it should be simple. That means it should be straightforward to replicate. But it also means you should avoid logos that are too cute or quirky. After all, the last thing your company wants is to feel kitschy.

3 – Give your customers something they can touch or use to represent you.

Reward Customers

Many people assume that the only way to prove a company's authenticity is to give away free samples. But that isn't always the case. 

The best way to prove authenticity in the eyes of consumers is to give them something tangible, say experts. Giving customers something they can hold and use to represent your brand is a great way to build trust and strengthen your connection with them.

Build a customer experience.

One of the reasons retailers aren't successful online is that they forget to build a customer experience. A good customer experience doesn't just mean a good store; it means your customers feel like they're a part of a more prominent company. 

At Amazon, for example, everything from the process of checkout and delivery to customer reviews is designed to make your customer feel like they're part of a more extensive community and not just another shopper on the other side of the internet.

4 – Think about whom your customers are before developing your brand identity.

Business Customer Journeys

There are two ways to create brand messages: through the lens of the customer (to whom you are speaking) or through the lens of the market (to whom you are speaking). 

A customer-based approach will help you understand what your customer wants and needs from your company. A market-based approach will help you understand how your business fits into the larger context.

  • What should be the tone of the brand? 
  • Are there emotions you want your customer to feel? 
  • Do you want them to feel happy or frustrated? 

If you're trying to build your brand's reputation online, you need to think about what type of content will resonate with your target audience. The first step in building a brand is understanding who your customer is.

Craft a message that matches your brand identity.

If you are new to content marketing or need help identifying your own brand identity, you're in luck. Many great resources help you in developing your brand identity and creating compelling content. 

These include websites, books, podcasts, and even videos. Once you have your brand identity figured out, you can begin crafting messages that resonate with your audience.

Create a compelling, memorable message that your audience can relate to.

For a customer to buy from you today, they have to see something compelling about your business. They have to believe in the message you're sending. 

You can't make your customers trust you if they don't understand who you are. Your brand identity is one of your most valuable assets. How you communicate it to your audience is crucial. It should reflect your brand personality.

Define your product and its benefits.

Many brands focus too much on their product or service features instead of their benefits. When people think of Google or Facebook, they immediately think of Google because of its search feature or Facebook because of its social media network. They might not even realise that these sites are also businesses offering advertising space. 

A recent study found that people associate Google's logo with “getting the answers they need” (the company calls itself that) and Facebook's with “seeing old friends” (what Facebook describes itself as).

This is a powerful technique because it helps align your company and products with your brand. When you clearly define who your company is, you can make better decisions for both marketing and business. You'll feel better about making decisions because you're more confident you're communicating to the market who you are and who you're not.

Empower your customers with excellent customer service.

Customer service is often an overlooked area of business for the sake of more lucrative areas of marketing. However, it's one of the most critical components in building long-term relationships with your customers, says David Meerman Scott, a business consultant, speaker, and author of “The New Rules of Marketing & PR.” You need to focus on it and then invest in it. 

According to an American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey, customer service is ranked third among why people change service providers after convenience and price.

5 – Develop a personality for your brand.

Brand Personality

Your personality helps build trust and sets the stage for your brand. It's the foundation of how you market your brand. In fact, according to research, companies with personalities outperform those without. 

Why? People are more willing to trust, purchase from, or recommend a brand whose personality they like. 

So take a few minutes to develop a personality for your brand by creating an identity that aligns with your values, vision, and culture. Then, use this personality to craft messaging and content that supports and highlights your brand.

Ask yourself what makes you unique?

A brand is what people say about you. And people say about you what they believe about you. So how do you make sure what they say about you is true? It all starts with asking yourself: What makes my company unique? 

It's a simple but powerful question. If you don't know what makes you different from your competitors, how can you expect consumers to believe what you say about your company? The answer to this question is easy, but it requires you to stop and think. So think.

Find your “brand voice.”

One of the most critical steps for a startup entrepreneur is creating a distinct brand voice. This allows you to describe your business quickly; it's also the beginning of a personal connection with your customers. 

Think of it as a voiceover for a movie trailer or radio ad; in those instances, the voiceover gives a first impression of the film or ad. Brand voice is like the voiceover for a video or e-book that introduces your business. 

You want to convey a consistent tone and message that tells your potential customers about your company, what it stands for, and who you are.

Use storytelling to inspire your audience.

A strong brand story can connect your company with consumers beyond your products and services. 

Related:  30+ Top Web Design Resources for Developers

Storytelling is the process of creating a narrative that communicates something more profound than just your business. When you tell a story that connects with your customer, you're connecting on a deeper level and engaging your audience in a way that will likely increase the chances of success for your brand and your business.

Think back to your childhood. There are probably many stories you can remember, and chances are, many of those memories were tied to a specific brand. Think about that for a moment. 

You're a kid, you don't understand what it's all about, but somehow you relate to it. Maybe you like the way it makes you feel, maybe you don't, but whatever you feel about it, it's something you can relate to. Brand storytelling is all about connecting with people on an emotional level.

Get feedback and adjust your brand accordingly.

I believe in building products and brands people will fall in love with. One of the biggest mistakes I see businesses make is building their brand and product too early, without listening to honest feedback from real people. 

You should build a brand and a product for the world to love. Once you've launched, don't wait until you're ready to go to market. Get feedback and adjust your brand and product accordingly.

For example, if your audience thinks your products taste like cardboard or your services stink, you should focus on it—not that they think your products taste like cardboard or your services stink. 

If your audience wants something new, they'll tell you what they want—and what they don't want. If people love you, they'll tell you, but that's not always true. Many marketing efforts are based on assumptions.

6 – Define your brand promise to yourself and others.

Sustainable Brand Promise

A brand promise is what a company is known for. It's the reason people think of your business when they hear it. 

Your brand promise should serve as a compass for your marketing and communications efforts. Make sure your brand promise is clear, memorable, and conveys your true personality. If you're not sure what your brand promise is, check out our article on what a brand promise is and how to write one.

One way to define your brand promise is to think about what you would like your ideal customer to feel when she sees your logo, hears your name, or reads your tagline. 

Your logo represents you. Your tagline represents you. So it's safe to say that the two should work together to create the perception that you are trustworthy, reliable, and valuable. But your brand promise is a little trickier.

Don't just sell. Provide value.

“The truth is that people don't always know exactly what they want. They don't even always know why they want it. But they know when they don't want it. That's the key.” 

In other words, people buy based on value, not features. This value could be a product feature, service feature, or something entirely new that no one's ever thought of before. 

There are many ways to develop value, and one of the most important principles to understand about value is that it isn't tangible. 

Value is based on perceived quality and can only be quantified in some cases. Many people focus too much on price and overlook the actual value their customers are getting in return.

Be authentic – your brand should reflect who you are.

Authenticity is more than just being yourself. The opposite can sometimes be true: trying too hard to appear authentic can be artificial and disingenuous. 

To achieve authenticity is to be yourself but understand who you are and what you stand for. This fundamental truth applies to every aspect of your business and brand. Authenticity is the key to building trust and developing relationships with people. It is essential for business.

Create a tagline that helps customers understand your business.

In a previous blog post, we discussed how you should use a tagline to help differentiate between two or more products in a category. 

That same rule applies to other types of businesses as well. For example, the tagline for a bakery could be, “Our cakes are made fresh daily with the freshest ingredients.” 

In other words, by giving consumers a brief description of what makes your product unique, you can drive them toward purchasing your product and make it easier for them to decide to buy it.

7 – Understand that not all brands are created equal.

What Is A Luxury Brand

Brands perceived as having “status” or belonging to the “old guard” may be worthless to a buyer because they carry a higher price tag. And newer, smaller, or lower-priced brands may be worth more because they may be less familiar. This isn't to say that you shouldn't pursue the “best deal” if you find it, but you should understand the differences.

According to a recent survey, brand loyalty is waning among Americans. The survey found that over 70% of consumers do not follow brands on social media. 

Only 17% said they are brand loyal, while 34% said they were brand lukewarm, and 27% said they were brand neutral. So why is brand loyalty on the decline? 

According to researchers, consumers want something easy to understand. They want to know if what they're getting is worth their time and money. 

Consumers are looking for the “wow” factor. Brands that have been around for a while tend to offer that. So, if consumers don't feel the need to learn more about a brand that's been around for a while, they may not be as loyal.

Build your brand by defining your company culture.

A company's culture consists of its values, beliefs, and attitudes. It would help if you had a clear idea of who you are as a company, what you stand for, and what you want your customers to experience while interacting with your brand. The better you understand your culture, the easier it will be to market and sell your products and services to others.

8 – Ask yourself, “Who am I?”

How To Write A Brand Positioning Statement

A new identity isn't something you have to create from scratch. If you look around you, you'll see that many brands already have a brand identity. 

When you think about your own brand, you need to answer the following questions: 

  • What are you trying to say about yourself? 
  • What do you want your company to be known for? 
  • Who is your audience? 
  • What is your ideal customer like? 

You're off to a good start if you can figure all these answers out.

While your business might have a brand identity, there's no reason you should stick with the same one. Every day, businesses develop new identities and alter existing ones. By asking yourself who you are as a brand, you can create a unique identity that connects with your audience.

Identify your strengths, weaknesses, needs, wants, desires, and values.

Once you've determined the three significant components of every brand – strengths, weaknesses, needs, wants, desires, and values – it's time to dive deeper. 

Each of these categories is an important area of focus for any business. But if you're starting a new business, these are the areas you need to start with. 

Ensure you know what you have, don't have, and need. Are there any problems? Does your business provide value? Do you stand out among your competition? Are you clear about your core values?

What do you want to communicate?

This is the second most important thing to figure out. 

  • Why are you here? 
  • What do you want your brand to communicate? 
  • How do you want your brand to be perceived? 

This is where your story begins to form. Start by thinking about the core values of your business and the emotional connection you want to create. 

  • How does your brand help people solve problems? 
  • How do people connect with your brand on a very personal level? 
  • What is the promise of your brand, and why should anyone care?

9 – Build your brand equity by establishing your brand image.

Types Of Brand Equity

A brand comprises a logo design, tagline, colour palette, and product image. Think about brands that have built a reputation for quality—such as Apple or Nike. 

These brands have become synonymous with the products they represent, and, in turn, people automatically assume that the products are high quality. 

These brands have created a brand image that, even if they didn't always offer the best products, people trusted that they did because they had the right look and feel.

Brand equity is not a new concept – it's been around since the 1800s. What many companies are starting to understand, however, is that they can build their brand equity even if they don't have the kind of money that a big brand has. 

Brand equity is the result of people's perceptions of your business. These perceptions influence their decisions about whether or not to buy from you. As a result, building brand equity can be a powerful strategy in getting customers to purchase from you.

Use video to amplify your brand messages.

Video is the new gold standard for marketing because it's engaging and powerful. But when you first think about putting it to work, you might think, “This is too hard,” or, “I don't have the budget.” 

You're already on the right path if you can figure out how to put a video into your content strategy without increasing your costs.

10 – Make sure you have a plan to sustain your brand.

Business Plan

You'll have to decide on a strategy. How do you expect to maintain your success? Do you need a partner to continue operating? Will you start a new company? You'll have to work through the answers to those questions to develop your brand's plans. 

And your marketing campaign should include your online efforts and advertising in print publications and on radio and television.

As consumers become more savvy and sophisticated about online marketing, they are more aware of the value of consistency. And according to Hubspot, they will stop shopping with you if you fail to maintain a steady stream of new offers, new products, or a steady presence on social media.

Start by developing a business plan.

You have many decisions to make, and that's where a business plan comes in handy. You have to decide on a specific direction. What kind of business are you going to start? And then, you have to outline the necessary steps to grow it into a success. 

You also need to decide if this venture will be a sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation. You need to set up a budget. And much research, too. There's no such thing as a one size fits all here.

Build your digital presence.

This is a basic but important concept that most business owners don't fully grasp. While building your presence online can be overwhelming and expensive, there are several ways to build a digital presence for free. 

For example, using social media sites like Facebook and Twitter or email marketing services. These services allow you to connect with potential clients in new and exciting ways.

Keep your website updated.

No question having a website that's constantly being updated with new content is a great way to increase traffic to your site. After all, people visit sites for information, and updating your site regularly makes it clear that you're an up-to-date resource. 

As for why you should update your site, it's an excellent way to stay in touch with your audience and show them that you care about what they're doing online.

Create and post content that will attract your ideal customer.

Content is king. And if your content isn't attracting the right kind of leads or customers, your site may not be optimised for the right audience. 

A great way to discover what content works best for you is to audit the most popular pages on your site quickly. Look at your top five most trafficked pages. Which ones are the most engaging and compelling? Which pages are giving you the least return on investment?

Find a mentor who can help guide your brand development.

You may not realise it, but you already have a mentor or two within your industry. Think about your professional network. 

People who know you well may be willing to peek at your brand and offer suggestions to improve it. If you let them, these people can be the driving force behind your brand. When you ask for their input, thank them and ask for their feedback.

Consider social media marketing, advertising, or other promotional tools.

You're already aware of social media marketing if you're a blogger or a small business owner. Social media is all about networking. But that's not the only way you can use social media to your advantage. 

You could also use it to promote your brand and build awareness among your target audience. Social media can be a valuable tool in reaching out to new clients, customers, and partners, especially if you're looking to drive traffic and increase sales.

Conclusion

Creating your brand identity is a living document that evolves and changes with each new growth stage. 

The foundation of your brand identity is your name and logo. A name that reflects your core values and an image that represents your personality, brand values, and products is the basis for your brand identity. It's a living entity that you should be proud of and the foundation of your success.

We provide excellent brand design services, but we are also very affordable. We understand how important the cost is for our customers, so we charge only what our clients are willing to pay. 

We've been working on our branding services for years, which means we have a vast amount of experience and knowledge on this subject. We also take pride in our work so that you can expect a great product and high-quality service.

If you need any help or advice on developing your brand identity, please drop me a line.

Photo of author

Stuart Crawford

Stuart Crawford is an award-winning creative director and brand strategist with over 15 years of experience building memorable and influential brands. As Creative Director at Inkbot Design, a leading branding agency, Stuart oversees all creative projects and ensures each client receives a customised brand strategy and visual identity.

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