Having a visually appealing brand is pretty straightforward these days. But having a logo doesn’t automatically ensure your brand will be memorable.
In this article, we’ll uncover the two essential elements you need to create a FULL brand strategy. This strategy will help you attract a powerful audience and establish a business that is authentically YOU.
Nope. Designing a logo is an essential part of building a brand, but it’s actually only one component, and unfortunately it’s not enough to make your business stand out.
I’ve literally created hundreds of brands in my career and I’ve learned something very powerful:
The most influential brands go way beyond visuals and mainly focus on how they communicate and how they behave.
How can you create a powerful brand of your own?
Let’s start with the 4 Vs: Visuals…Vision, Values and Voice.
These four V’s lay the foundation of strong brand identity. They are not just abstract ideas; they are the ingredients that will make your brand really resonate with your audience.
Let’s get into it!
Your brand vision sets out your business goals. It’s not just about your current ambitions, but also your future aims. It’s a statement that should motivate everyone in and outside of your company.
When crafting your brand vision, think about where you see your business in five, ten, or even twenty years from now. What impact do you want to have? What legacy do you want to leave?Â
This exercise is not so you can stick a “Vision” paragraph on your about page – it’s for YOU. It’s a living document to help you understand where you are going.
Now, ask yourself these 5 questions to determine your business goals & vision:
🤔 What drives you personally?
Identify your core passions and beliefs that fuel your motivation. Is it coffee, world domination, or making a difference in people’s lives?
🤔 What makes your business unique?
Pinpoint what sets you apart, be it your experiences, talents, or perspective.
🤔 How do you define success?
Think about your personal definition of success and how it shapes your goals.
🤔 Who are your role models?
Reflect on who inspires you and the values they embody that resonate with you.
🤔 What is your ultimate vision for your business?
Consider the legacy and impact you want to have on your community or customers.
Now that you have your personal values established it’s time to look at how this aligns with your brand…
Brand values are the principles that guide your brand’s behavior. They determine how you operate your business, treat your employees, and engage with your customers. These values should align with your personal beliefs as well as those of your target audience.
As a business owner, building a great brand is aaaallll about alignment with your own values.
If your values don’t align with your business, something will be off. You may not be able to put your finger on it, but you’ll know – and your customers will know too.
Every business decision we make, from content creation to sharing and structuring programs, boils down to our brand behavior.
It gives insight into our identity and target audience. Customers may not articulate it, but they perceive our values through our behavior online.
What are your brand values? 🤔
You may find that many of the answers to the questions above answer this.
Make a list of 5 of the most important values that align with your brand.
Here are a few ideas:
Diversity, Caring about customers, Passion, Freedom, Accountability, Integrity, Quality, Collaboration, Leadership, Transparency.
Your brand visuals are the tangible elements that people see, such as your logo, website, and packaging. These visuals should align with both your brand vision and values. They should complement and reinforce your brand messages, not contradict or confuse them.
Remember, your brand is not just what people see, but also how it makes them feel. Choose colors, fonts, and other design elements that evoke the right emotions and portray your brand in the best light.
For example: Indie Brand Builder values fun, uses a friendly tone, and incorporates whimsical visuals. Happy saturated colors with bright colors and bold type create an educational yet modern feel.
Creating a brand identity that aligns with your values is easier said than done. You’ll likely need someone (like me) to help you with this. 😉
But here are 3 essential questions you need to consider before you even think about creating a logo or redesigning your website:
Who is your ideal client and their needs? 🤔
This annoying but essential question will help you identify most likely be someone similar to you.
What challenges do they face? 🤔
Do some research. Dig into your customers problems.
How will your business solve these pain points? 🤔
What specific solution are you going to provide to solve their problem?
Your brand voice is how the personality of your brand is communicated to the world. It’s not necessarily about what you say, but how you say it. Your brand voice can be authoritative, friendly, professional, casual, or something else entirely. It should be consistent across all communication channels, from social media posts to customer service responses.
How you deliver your message directly influences how people perceive and understand your brand. Therefore, once you’ve found your unique voice, make sure to use it across all channels and touch-points with your customers.
I’ve written an entire article about finding your brand voice, which is a great place to start.
I also suggest learning about Brand Architypes.
Brand Archetypes are a science developed over hundreds of years based on basic human desires and collective behaviours.
When you understand the desires of your audience, a brand archetype will provide the framework to develop a personality around that desire.
This can help you develop your brand voice and create deeper connections and loyalty with your audience.
Once you have established what your Brand Archetype is you can start to develop writing styles, tone and further develop your brand guidelines – a book that your brand designer can put together for you.
Transparency is vital for brand bonding. Businesses are now more open to public judgment due to the explosion of digital information. As a result, consumers crave honesty from their preferred brands.
Start building transparency by honestly examining your brand’s vision. This means your brand’s biggest aims, not just money-wise, but ethically and community-wise too. If your long-game goals match your target customer’s values, you’re on the right path to a powerful, trustworthy brand.
Too many companies want their brands to reflect some idealised, perfected image of themselves. As a consequence, their brands acquire no texture, no character and no public trust
– Richard Branson
Keep it real people.
