It’s no secret that every great business needs a strategic brand design. In order to be recognized by consumers and set apart from your competitors, your brand needs a little TLC. Use these tips as you embark on your journey to stellar branding.
1. Make sure it looks appropriate on different platforms.
Does it look great on billboards, printed, on social media and a website? You may never envision using print, but it’s important to keep every option open since you don’t know the road ahead.
2. Embrace the white space.
Not only will this end up saving you money on printing costs, it will keep your brand looking great in all settings. White space is an effortless way to emphasize your brand and keep it classy.
3. Choose a name that makes sense and works for SEO.
Back in the days of old, start-ups could choose business names solely based on inspiration. Of course you still can now, but sometimes it’s better to just make sense.
Choose something catchy, easy to say, and that makes sense with your niche. As a simple example, if you own a chocolate company; ‘Fred’s Chocolates’ makes more sense than simply ‘Fred’. Having some reference to your products in the name gives you a better chance in ranking higher in search engines.
If you are in the beginning stage of developing a business, ask a web designer to run an SEO audit. Based on the results, you can determine which words are being searched most with the least amount of competition.
4. Consider how many colors you want to use.
A good rule of thumb is to stick to two colors or less. Simple is usually better and keeps your printing costs down. When selecting your colors, consider the following based on ‘The Science Behind Colors’.
- Black: powerful, precise, credible.
- Red: urgent, dangerous, romantic.
- Green: organic, educational, youth.
- Blue: calming, clean, professional.
- Orange: creative, energetic, innocence.
- Yellow: dynamic, positive, encouraging.
- Purple: spiritual, magical, mysterious.
- Brown: earthly, safe, conservative.
- White: purity, simple, clinical.
5. Don’t overdo it.
Like colors, it’s a good idea to keep it uncomplicated. Look at the big, successful companies for example. Amazon simply uses their name with an arrow underneath. Two colors, almost bland in a way, but it’s recognizable.
6. Customize to your buyer personas.
If you’re just forming your brand, this is a perfect time to define your buyer personas (target audience). Even if you are past that stage, it’s never too late to make some tweaks or produce content to target them.
By forming everything to appeal to their goals, concerns, and preferences, they will feel that your company fits their lifestyle. If you haven’t yet defined your buyer personas, check out the free guide at the end of this article.
7. Sparks an emotional response.
Emotion may not be the first thing you think of when you see a Dunkin’ Donuts, but people connect emotionally with the brands they love. When a brand fits with their ideals, they trust them. Seeing a feature they attribute to their favorite brand stirs up an emotional response.
8. Check the competition.
You definitely don’t want people confusing your brand with another. Sometimes businesses do this unintentionally so it’s wise to look at other companies in your industry beforehand. Explore Google, ask friends and family if they’ve seen similar brands.
9. Keep your brand consistent.
Consistency is a big commitment. If you feel that you must redesign features of your brand, think hard on your new plan. Choose a design that will work for the long haul.
Great brands and subpar brands are often set apart by this one aspect. Target’s very fitting target logo has been around since their birth in the 1960’s.
10. Stick to a short motto.
Although we’re beginning to see less and less of mottos, if you must use one keep it short. Think of Nike, ‘Just do it’. Gets their point across and really fits their modern and active audience.
11. Don’t lose sight of what makes you, you.
While forming a brand appealing to your buyer personas is very important, don’t lose your brand’s real identity. What inspired you to start your business? Is there something specific you want to get across?
Volkswagen translates to ‘People’s Car’. The company was founded in a time when German roads were reserved for the rich. They chose a name based on their ambition to offer something different.
Sometimes it’s that unique piece that will set a business apart from the competition.
