Long before you launch your small business, you need to think critically about your branding. Regardless of your business model and strategy, you need a brand that stands out and remains memorable to your target audience.
The most effective brands are guided by a strong and cohesive identity — and to develop that identity, you need to bear some essential elements in mind. So, in this post, we will be showing you all that you need to craft an amazing brand identity for your brand and business. Just keeping reading!
Important Element You Need to Craft a Brand Identity
#1: Name
Your business name is likely the first component of your company that your audience is likely to encounter, so it is imperative that the name provides plenty of information about what your business does and how.
A name can do so much more than reveal a company’s main services; it can also give a sense of the corporate values and culture. This can help an organization engage its target audience and develop a community of devoted customers.
Before you form your company with your state’s business bureau, you should dedicate ample time to brainstorming a name that accurately reflects what you expect your business to become. You might use tools like word dumps, thesauruses, mood boards, and more to explore different name options.
You can also talk to people you know and trust, like professional mentors or family members, to help with name development. Throughout this process, you should research trademarks to ensure that any names you are considering are available to you in your class.
Then, when you are ready, you should participate in trademark registration to protect your business name and other critical elements of your brand identity.
#2: Slogan
A slogan is a phrase that many companies develop to define a brand’s position to its audience. Quick and catchy, slogans strive to give a business’s audience a more developed feeling than can be imparted through a name or logo alone.
Most often used by companies selling consumer goods and services, slogans can be seen as unprofessional, but the right slogan can improve the brand identity of serious and authoritative companies, as well.
As with your business name, you should take time to explore different slogan options, workshopping your ideas with those you trust. Slogans are more easily changed than business names; in fact, even massive and established brands will offer a new slogan every decade or so.
Still, you don’t want to change your slogan too often so as not to confuse your audience. So you should try to identify a slogan that will effectively represent your brand identity for years to come.
#3: Colors
Humans are visual creatures that rely heavily on what we see to understand the world around us. As a result, color can play an important role in how we understand and interact with different brands.
Believe it or not, colors can be trademarked like names and other components of the brand identity because certain colors have come to be as closely associated with specific companies as names or slogans.
There is a large field of psychology that studies how colors affect human thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. In nature, warm and bright colors like red and orange tend to communicate “stop,” and many businesses utilize this natural reaction to attract attention to their brand.
There are many cultural associations with colors, as well, such as white with cleanliness or gold with wealth. You might take some time to research the effects different colors can have before committing to a color scheme for your brand.
#4: Logo
A logo is a graphical representation of your company. Often, a logo incorporates all the most important elements of the brand identity: name, color, typography, and slogan. In doing so, the logo becomes an effective shorthand for communicating the essence of a company’s brand to its audience.
Often, logos are remembered more easily by a company’s audience because the human brain is more adept at recalling images than text.
Generally, it is advisable to work with a graphic designer to develop your business’s logo. Graphic designers are trained to communicate different concepts and feelings through simple visual elements.
An experienced graphic designer can provide you with a number of options from which you will likely find the perfect logo for your business.
Final Note
A strong and cohesive brand identity is essential to connecting with your target audience in today’s competitive marketplaces. By investing in brand development from the very beginning of your business strategy, you are more likely to create a brand that drives success.
We have mentioned some of the important things to consider when crafting an excellent brand identity. Bear them in mind, and you will be on your way to having a super successful business.