Branding
People talk a lot about branding. Piles of books have been written and tons of digital ink have been spilled to muse about what branding is why it’s important. But we all agree it’s important.
A brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room.
A brand is more than a logo, a product, or a spokesperson. It’s the perception of you that lives in the minds of your customers, users, donors, etc. We like to say “a brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
So much of branding is left to the mind of the consumer. If that’s the case, what can you do to influence that perception?
Visual Identity
The things people see. It’s your image set to a story:
- Your logo
- Your packaging or product design
- Your website, photography, colors
Verbal Identity
It’s the way your brand talks, rooted in your values.
- What do you believe?
- How do you speak it? What are the words you use and the tone you strike?
Behavior
The way your brand behaves in a number of arenas:
- How do you treat your customers?
- How do you treat your employees?
- What is it like to interact with you in the real world? On social media? On the web?
Building your brand starts with asking the right questions.
- Who is your current audience? Who do you want to reach?
- What’s the first word that comes to mind when people think of your brand?
- Are you more serious or fun? Reserved or outspoken? Spontaneous or thoughtful?
Within a typical project, before any messages are written or visuals are sketched, our first step is the formal Discovery process.
This helps us understand (or develop) personality, tone, voice and what it wants to stand for as it grows.
Discovery also allows us to speak with your key stakeholders and review any preexisting research or insights you have regarding your brand’s awareness and target audience. We want to learn as much as possible about brand so we can be a strong strategic partner.