A recognisable and coveted brand is one of the most valuable resources a company can have. So let’s explore how to build a brand identity that people will love.
If we take a quick look at some of the world’s most iconic brands, we can see how they prevail. Starbucks is more than just a coffee brand; Coca-Cola is more than a soda; McDonald’s is more than a fast-food chain; Nike, you guessed it, is more than an apparel brand.
What do all of these brands have in common? Simple. They each have their own story, but more distinctly, they provide experiences, and experience is a crucial ingredient in building a killer brand. Consumers invest in certain brands because of a level of expectation.
Sometimes investing in a brand helps a person fit into a subculture or peer group. The brand helps a person find friends and even understand themselves. In other words, a well-built brand helps people build themselves into who they want to be.
A company’s brand is its core, but it takes time to build. There is much more to creating a brand than picking a colour palette and putting a logo together. It’s a strategic process that requires an intelligent blend of deep thinking, strong communication, design skills, and, most notably, an innate understanding of your business.
It may sound intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be. With the proper guidance, your journey to building an iconic brand can be a smooth and straightforward process. We regularly partner with businesses across all industries for a wide range of branding services, and we’re always open to hearing from clients about their branding challenges. So get in touch.
In the meantime, here’s a quick step-by-step guide on building a picture-perfect brand identity.
A 10-Step Guide: How To Build A Brand Identity.
Here’s our 10-step guide to being a brand that consumers will support and invest in for the long term.
1- Purpose.
Your company’s purpose will be the driving force behind all decisions. Many companies are in business to make money, but that’s not an inspiring message encouraging people to invest in your brand. Savvy business owners and companies know you must develop a story behind your brand to compete with the best. A story makes people feel something.
Let us revisit our examples. Nike doesn’t simply sell footwear, but what does it sell? When you look at any advertisement or content produced around Nike products, you are hooked, not only by the footwear but by the general idea of breaking limits and overcoming challenges and attitudes. So when customers buy a new pair of Air Jordans, they imbue themselves with Nike’s purpose.
Knowing your endgame will help drive your brand towards success.
2- Differential.
Even if you think you are one in a million, comparisons between your product and its competitors will happen. Learning to highlight what makes you different from similar offerings is part of every business process. No matter what, a Latte is still a Latte, irrespective of how differently Starbucks sell it in comparison to a local café.
Apple is not the only smartphone provider in the world – although there’s always someone who thinks it is. However, Apple’s approach to marketing and sales is completely different from Samsung or Google.
There is no correct answer. But you can apply the same logic S&P 500 companies use to differentiate and build a powerful brand.
3- Target.
A clear target audience is equally important, or even more than the product or service itself. How do you expect to manage expectations if you still need to figure out who the audience is? First, know your audience – what they like, what they dislike, how to approach different subjects, etc.
Knowing your target also means adapting your message to suit them best. There is no point trying to do something that doesn’t resonate with a group of people you are trying to impress – both in life and in business.
4- Mission.
Your mission statement is the synthesis of your brand. Think of this statement as your company’s elevator pitch: if you had to explain your business’ goal quickly, how would you approach it? Having a clear statement is fundamental to establishing a relevant brand. Moreover, it is a guiding principle from which all decisions – from product design to aftercare – will derive inspiration.
Make sure to see the difference between a mission statement and a slogan. For example, Apple’s mission is “to bring the best user experience to its customers through innovative hardware, software, and services.” Apple’s slogan, however, is “think differently”.
5- Qualities & Benefits.
At this point, you already have the groundwork for building a successful brand. Now it is time to shift from introspection to the outside world. What solutions or benefits can you bring to the life of your audience? What qualities mark your brand, services and products?
While it is fundamental to communicate your benefits and qualities, this is a delicate needle to thread. For example, an advertising campaign focused on listing benefits runs the risk of sounding too sales-focused. It is wise to remember the advice: “Any man who must say ‘I am the king’ is no true king”.
6- Personality.
A winning personality goes a long way. In branding, your character and traits will present themselves across all communications.
As we exhibit slightly different aspects of our personality depending on who is around us, a brand must learn how to translate its values, qualities, goals, and mission in a myriad of ways across different platforms. The purpose of having a well-defined personality is to maintain consistency in a way clients can always understand your message.
7- Voice.
If personality deals with consistency, voice is the tool we use to achieve this objective. Nothing is more frustrating than learning that someone we just had a date with is an entirely different person on Twitter – and that can happen these days.
Learning how to avoid this issue is generally good advice, but vital if you are trying to impress someone special. Therefore, voice is a critical consideration when we address ‘How To Build A Brand Identity’.
8- Helpfulness.
By this point, we know your strong suits, minor flaws, and how you talk to impress. But how helpful can you be? Do you support your audience’s needs and show extra care whenever they are in a dire situation? It is fundamental to show others what you can do. People tend to like whoever is there for them, and you want to be there when your customers need you.
9- Focus.
While it is good to know they can count on you, it is equally important to know your limits. Don’t lose yourself trying to be everywhere at once and risk spreading yourself too thin. Instead, focus on the situations and places you are most skilled to help and provide solutions and ideas. Also, feel free to remind the general public of your relevance.
10- Standards.
In an ultra-connected society, it is fundamental to define your brand’s standards and limits more than ever. However, with companies becoming more present across social media, there are some delicate points that your company will need to tackle.
What are your brand’s standards for communication? How to deal with an angry customer acting menacingly online? How does your support team de-escalate issues? Which topics will your company not discuss?
While social media is an excellent tool, the sheer number of issues and problems that happen daily on the internet has its downsides.
By respecting your limits, your brand will clearly outline its characteristics. Your positive feedback from the audience will build an unbreakable rapport.
Webbiz is here for you.
Our 10-Step guide on how to build a brand identity is an initial baseline for the work you must do to make a business succeed. However, if you feel ready to take things to the next level, contact our team, and together, we can make your project a success.