One thing that all successful companies have in common is a strong brand identity. They know who they are, who their target market is and they have created a brand identity which makes them appealing to those customers. 

So, how do you start building a strong brand identity? 

Know who you are

Before you can begin building any sort of brand you need to be clear on who you are as a business. What is your mission? What is your personality? What are your company values? What tone do you want to take in the market? Answering these questions will help you bring together an idea of your brand.  If this is proving difficult for you, then turn this into a team activity and have a company brainstorm.

Design your creative elements

They say a picture tells a thousand words and a companies logo, visual assets and product labels are no different. Once you have decided on your mission, your tone, your personality and who your target market is, it’s time to make sure that this is reflected in all of your creative media so that you create a brand that customers remember. Designing a brand is no easy feat and takes into consideration every minute element of the design from the font used in your textual elements down to your unique brand colours and how they should be used together. Most companies reach out to design and creative agencies through this stage as they are best placed to interpret what you have written on paper and put it into a visual format. The more information you can give to a creative agency the better, so don’t hold back and ensure your personality shines through.

Create a set of brand guidelines

Once you have been through the process of designing your creative elements such as establishing your company font, colors and style, it’s time to make sure that each time your brand is presented to the media, or someone designs anything for you, that it remains true to your brand identity. The best and easiest way to do this is through the creation of a set of thorough brand guidelines. If you are selling physical products then your brand guidelines can even be given to your label printing equipment supplier to ensure the consistency of your new brand across all of your items. Consistency is very important when building a brand identity so ensure that you use it across all areas of your business. 

Analyze and improve your identity

The key to maintaining a successful, strong identity and staying ahead of competitors is in the continuous analysis and improvement of your brand. As times change so do people’s priorities, viewpoints and perceptions, so be sure to regularly review your brand to establish if it is still sending the same message you originally intended it to. Evolving your brand identity ensure that you stay current and ahead of your competition as well as proving to your customers that you are moving with the times and a company that looks to the future. One example of a brand that has undergone a significant evolution is Starbucks and you can see more of their brand journey here. 

Now that you know more about building a strong brand identity, it’s your turn to go out and do it!