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The Basics Of Branding

Have you heard the term branding before but not really sure what it means? Don’t worry… It’s a concept that can be a little vague and be miss understood by even those who studied marketing.  That’s why we have created this guide to explain everything you will need to know about branding and helpful tips to get started.

What is branding?

A brand is a feature that helps to define your organisation and to distinguish it from any other organisation out there.

The main aspects of a brand are the name, tagline, logo design, but there is also your colour palette and fonts to also think about, as these will be used across your website and any marketing materials you produce.

The importance of branding

Branding is your identity and can be the deciding factor in whether your customers use or buy from your business.

  • It allows you to build recognition amongst customers & prospects
  • It provides an identity to your business
  • It sends a consistent message

Did you know 60% of shoppers actively buy from brands they know

Hubspot

Taglines

What’s a tagline and why do you need one? It is an advertising catchline or slogan that tells the world who you are, what you sell and what you stand for. What’s more, they are short and sweet so that people can remember them.

Finger-lickin’ good is one example of a tagline that works well and is an expression of praise for good food. The KFC tagline wanted to focus not just on the food, but the quality and experience customers have when they purchase their products. It’s not just good food, it’s something you can’t get enough of. All this from a tagline.

Branding Terms to Know

So, when it comes to branding there are a few key terms you may have heard of. Let’s go through what they are and what they mean…

Brand awareness – this refers to how familiar people are with your brand and is representative of the influence a business has within the industry. This is important for consumers as they like to buy from well-known and well-respected brands.

Brand extension – this is when a company extends their product range in a different industry. For example, singer Rhianna went from selling records to also producing a lingerie range, which was a huge success.

Brand assets – These are items such as images, logos or words that identify your company. Your business needs to keep these digital assets organised, as often when doing campaigns, you and your team may need quick access to them.

Image courtesy of danielreeve

How to create a brand

Whether you are in the process of creating a new brand or if you’re rebranding, here are some of the elements you should consider:

First, determine who your audience is.  Define who your product or service is aimed at and who you want to purchase from you. Discovering who your ideal audience is through research and developing personas gives you the foundation required when you set out to design and form your brand.

Formulate your mission statement. By creating your mission statement, you are able to communicate the purpose and beliefs of your company to employees, partners, and customers.

‘To prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.’
‘To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.’

Create a collection of original visual assets. Once you know who your audience is and you’ve got your mission statement finalised, you’re ready to create the visual elements such as logos, typography and colour palette.  If you have a design team, great, you can work alongside them to bring your brand to life, alternatively, you may want to consider working with a marketing agency to work with you. First impressions matter, so getting your brand’s designs done to a high standard is important. What’s more, you’ll want to ensure you have the design files in a variety of formats, for both print and digital.

Takeaway

When it comes to branding it’s about creating an image of your company using images, logos, colours, and language that gives your company a personality.  Creating strong branding takes research and a solid understanding of your target customers.

Once you have everything you need for your brand, it’s important to integrate it into every aspect of your business from the website, social media, marketing materials and advertising. What’s more, you’re branding only works if you ensure everything is consistent.

Would you like to learn more about branding? Read our blog on The Importance of Brand Guidelines.

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