Branding Archives – Liquid Creativity

How To Create A Memorable Brand Logo: Tips And Tricks

Nikhil Makwana — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 01:26:59 +0000

BRANDING

How To Create A Memorable Brand Logo: Tips And Tricks

Table of contents

Your brand logo is one of the most important elements of your brand identity. It’s the visual snapshot and representation of your brand’s personality, values and message.

It’s often the first thing potential customers see when they encounter your brand, and it’s often the thing they remember about you.

Creating a memorable brand logo isn’t a simple process. It takes creativity, strategy and research. You want your logo to stand out from the competition, resonate with your target audience and reflect your brand’s essence. Randomly choosing a symbol, your favourite colours and plonking it alongside your brand name isn’t going to achieve that.

In this article, we’ll share some tips and tricks on creating a memorable brand logo that will help you grow your business and build customer loyalty. We’ll cover the following topics:

Designing a brand logo that stands out
What makes a great logo
The psychology of logo design
Creating a memorable logo
Tips and tricks for a memorable logo
Finalising your brand logo

Designing a brand logo that stands out

Before you start designing your brand logo, you need to understand the purpose of your logo and how it fits into your overall brand strategy. A logo is not just there to look nice. It’s a powerful communication tool that needs to convey a lot of information about your brand at a glance.

To design a brand logo that stands out, you need to consider the following factors:

The competition: Research your competitors and see what kind of logos they have. What are their strengths and weaknesses? What are their unique selling points? How can you differentiate yourself from them?
Your target audience: Work out your ideal customers and what they want from your brand. What are their needs, preferences, and expectations? How can you appeal to their emotions and values?
Your brand personality: Establish the style of your brand. How do you want your customers to perceive you? What are the core attributes and characteristics of your brand? How can you express them visually?

Memorable logo design: What makes a great brand logo?

A great logo is memorable, effective and suitable for your brand. It should capture your customers’ attention and make a lasting impression on them. It should also communicate your brand’s message clearly and consistently across different platforms and contexts.

To achieve these goals, a great logo should have the following characteristics:

Simplicity: A simple logo is easy to recognise, remember and reproduce. It can also look more professional and elegant than a complex one. To achieve a simple logo, use minimal elements, colours and fonts that work well together.
Relevance: A relevant logo relates to your brand’s name, industry, products or services. It should also reflect your brand’s personality and values. Use meaningful symbols, shapes or words that convey your brand’s essence.
Originality: An original logo is unique and distinctive compared with other logos in your market. It is creative and innovative, which shows that your brand is different and ahead of the curve. Use unexpected or clever elements in your logo that surprise or delight your customers.
Versatility: A versatile logo works well in different sizes, colours, backgrounds and mediums. It adapts to different situations and audiences. A versatile logo should have a clear, consistent design that can be easily modified or scaled without losing its quality or identity.

Some examples of successful logos that have these characteristics are:

Apple: The Apple logo is one of the most iconic logos. The bitten apple symbolises innovation, creativity and knowledge. It also creates a visual pun on the word “byte”, which relates to computers and technology.

Nike: The Nike logo is another example of a simple, relevant, original, versatile logo. The swoosh represents movement, speed and energy. It also suggests a wing, which relates to the Greek goddess of victory, Nike.

Coca-Cola: The Coca-Cola logo is one of the most recognisable logos in the world. The script font conveys elegance, tradition and authenticity. It also creates a distinctive shape that resembles a wave or a smile.

The psychology of logo design

The psychology of logo design studies how people perceive logos and how they affect their emotions and behaviour. It looks at how colours, shapes, fonts and other design elements can influence customers’ attitudes and decisions.

What should I consider when choosing colours for my brand logo?

One of the most important aspects of logo design psychology is colour theory. Colours have different meanings and associations in different cultures and contexts. They can also evoke different moods and feelings in people. For example:

Red: a powerful colour that can signify passion, excitement, danger or aggression. It can also stimulate appetite and attention.
Blue: a calming colour that can signify trust, reliability, professionalism or tranquility. It can also reduce stress and promote loyalty.
Yellow: a cheerful colour that can signify happiness, optimism, energy, or creativity. It can also stimulate curiosity and enthusiasm.
Green: a natural colour that can signify growth, health, freshness or sustainability. It can also encourage relaxation and harmony.

What role does typography play in a brand logo?

Another important aspect of logo design psychology is typography. Typography is all about making written language look good and easy to read. It’s an art form that involves arranging different styles of type for visual effect. Typography can convey meaning and emotion through fonts, sizes, styles and spacing. For example:

Serif fonts: fonts with small strokes or lines attached to the end of the main strokes of the letters. They are often used for traditional, formal, or elegant brands. Examples of serif fonts are:
- Times New Roman
- Georgia
- Garamond

Sans serif fonts: fonts that do not have serifs. They are often used for modern, clean, or minimalist brands. Examples of sans serif fonts are:
- Arial
- Helvetica
- Verdana

Script fonts: fonts that mimic handwriting or calligraphy. They are often used for creative, artistic or whimsical brands. Examples of script fonts are:
- Brush Script
- Lucida Handwriting
- Pacifico

How to create a memorable logo

Once you clearly understand your brand’s purpose, audience, personality and message, you can start creating your logo.

Here are some steps to follow:

Sketching and brainstorming: You can use paper and pencil, digital tools or online logo makers to generate various concepts. You can also use inspiration from other logos, images, words or symbols related to your brand.
Choosing the right design elements: Decide on the type of logo you want (e.g., wordmark, letter mark, pictorial mark, abstract mark, mascot), the colours you want to use (e.g., monochrome, complementary, analogous), the typography you want to use (e.g., serif, sans serif, script), and the shape you want to use (e.g., circle, square, triangle).
Iterating and refining the design: Keep working on your design until you’re happy with the result. You need to test your logo in different sizes, colours, backgrounds, and mediums to see how it looks and works and get feedback from your target customers to see how they perceive and respond to it.

Finalising your brand logo

Once you have created a logo that resonates with your audience and reflects your business, you need to finalise it and make it ready for use. Here are some steps to follow:

Get stakeholder feedback: Check with your partners, employees and investors to see if they approve of your logo and if it aligns with your brand’s vision and goals.
Make necessary adjustments: Update your logo based on the feedback you received. You may need to tweak some colours, fonts, shapes or other elements to improve your logo’s appearance or performance.
Create a brand style guide: Document the rules and guidelines for using your logo. A brand style guide should include information such as the logo’s variations, sizes, colours, fonts, spacing, alignment and dos and don’ts.

Common mistakes in logo design

Some common mistakes to avoid when designing a brand logo are:

Using clipart or stock images: Clipart or stock images are generic and unoriginal. They can make your logo look cheap and amateurish. They can also cause legal issues if you don’t have the proper license or permission to use them. You should create your own logo from scratch or use a professional.
Using too many colours or fonts: Too many colours or fonts can make your logo look cluttered and chaotic. They can also reduce the legibility and readability of your logo. You should limit your logo to two or three colours and fonts that complement each other and match your brand personality.
Following trends too closely: Trends can be tempting, but they can become outdated or clichéd over time. They can also make your logo look like other logos in your market and not stand out. You should avoid copying or imitating other popular logos and try to create a timeless and unique logo that reflects your brand’s essence.
Ignoring the context: The context is the environment where your logo will be seen and used. It includes the size, background, medium and audience of your logo. You should consider how your logo looks and works in different contexts and make sure it is versatile and adaptable.
Not testing your logo: Testing your logo is an important step in the design process. It helps you to evaluate how your potential customers perceive, react, and respond to your logo. It also allows you to identify any issues or problems with your logo before you launch it. You should test your logo with different methods, such as surveys, polls, focus groups or online tools.

Logo design: How to get it right

Logo design is a specialised skill, and while there are tools to help novices do it themselves, we recommend seeking expert support.

Your logo can make a huge difference to your business success, and it’s tricky to create one that captures your brand essence, communicates your brand’s message, is simple, relevant, original and versatile, and makes a lasting impression.

At Liquid Creativity, we believe logo creation sits within a strategic brand design process. Contact us today if you’re ready to elevate your business with a memorable logo. We’d love to hear from you and help you with your brand strategy and logo design needs.

FAQs

What is a brand naming mistake?

A brand naming mistake is an error or flaw that affects the quality, effectiveness or suitability of your brand name. It can hurt your brand’s image, reputation or recognition. It can also make it harder for your customers to find, remember or trust your brand.

How does using a generic name hurt my brand?

Using a generic name hurts your brand because it makes your brand boring and forgettable. It doesn’t tell your customers anything unique or distinctive about your brand. It also makes it harder for your brand to stand out from competitors and rank well on search engines.

What are some common mistakes when using geographic locations in a brand name?

Some common mistakes when using geographic locations in a brand name are:

Using a location that is too broad or vague (e.g., “Global Solutions”, “Worldwide Travel”)
Using a location that is too narrow or specific (e.g., “Swan Street Plumbing”, “Rose Bay Accounting”)
Using a location that is irrelevant or misleading (e.g., “New York Pizza”, “Paris Fashion”)

These mistakes can limit your brand’s scope, potential, or growth. They can also confuse or alienate your customers who are not from or familiar with the location.

What are some key factors to consider when creating a brand name?

Some key factors to consider when creating a brand name are:

Your brand strategy defines your goals, values, personality, and positioning. Your brand name should reflect and support your brand strategy.
Your target audience is the group of people who are most likely to buy or use your products or services. Your brand name should resonate and connect with your target audience.
Your competitors are the other businesses that offer similar products or services as yours. Your brand name should differentiate and distinguish your brand from your competitors.
Your industry is the category or sector that your business belongs to. Your brand name should be relevant and suitable for your industry.
Your culture is the set of beliefs, values, norms, and customs that influence your business. Your brand name should be respectful and appropriate for your culture.
Your SEO improves the visibility and ranking of your website on search engines. Your brand name should be optimised and keyword-rich for search engines.

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The post How To Create A Memorable Brand Logo: Tips And Tricks appeared first on Liquid Creativity.

How To Avoid The Top 10 Brand Naming Mistakes

Nikhil Makwana — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 15:45:28 +0000

BRANDING

How To Avoid The Top 10 Brand Naming Mistakes

Table of contents

Your brand name is one of the most important assets of your business. It’s the first thing that potential customers see and hear. It’s crucial to get it right.

Your brand name is the foundation of your identity, reputation, and recognition. It’s also the basis of your legal protection and differentiation.

But finding your perfect brand name isn’t easy. There are many factors to consider, such as your brand values, company culture, target audience, competitors, industry and SEO. And there are many pitfalls to avoid, such as generic, complicated, overly trendy and hard-to-pronounce names.

In this ultimate guide to naming your brand, we share the top 10 brand naming mistakes that could kill your business and how to avoid them. We’ll also give you some examples of good and bad brand names and tips on creating a memorable and effective brand name for your business.

The top 10 common brand naming mistakes to avoid

Choosing a generic name
Making it too complicated
Being too trendy
Ignoring cultural connotations
Forgetting to do your research
Not considering SEO
Failing to trademark your name
Being too narrow
Not testing your name
Choosing a name that is hard to pronounce

Mistake 1: Choosing a generic name

What is a generic brand name?

A generic name is a name that describes what your business does or offers in a very general way. For example, “Online Bookstore” or “Car Rental Service”. They may seem clear and straightforward, but they’re also boring and forgettable. They don’t tell your customers anything unique or distinctive about your brand. They also make it harder for you to stand out from your competitors and to rank well on search engines.

How to avoid choosing a generic brand name.

Aim for a name that conveys your brand personality, values, benefits or story. Avoid using common words already used by many other businesses in your industry or category. Instead, look for more specific, original and creative words.

Examples of unique brand names.

Instead of “Online Bookstore”, Booktopia combined the words “book” and “utopia” to suggest a paradise for book lovers. Instead of “Car Rental Service”, Zoomcar implies speed, convenience and fun.

Mistake 2: Making it too complicated

What is a complicated brand name?

A complicated brand name is hard to spell, pronounce, remember or understand like “Xobni” or “Zynga”. They may seem clever or quirky, but they can be confusing and frustrating for your customers. They make it difficult for your customers to find you online, refer you to others or trust you as a credible and professional business.

How to avoid choosing a complicated brand name.

To avoid making your name too complicated, choose a name that is simple, clear and easy to say and write. Avoid using numbers, symbols, hyphens or unnecessary letters in your name. Instead, look for short, familiar, or easy-to-pronounce words.

Examples of uncomplicated brand names.

Instead of “Xobni” (which is “inbox” spelt backwards and was a software company that helped users manage their email contacts), Inboxer is more intuitive and descriptive. “Zynga” is the name of the founder of a social gaming company’s dog, but Playa is more simple, playful and appealing.

Mistake 3: Being too trendy

What is a trendy brand name?

A trendy name is a name that follows a current fad or fashion in naming, like using suffixes like “-ify”, “-ly”, or “-ster” (e.g., Spotify, Bitly, Hipster) or using misspellings or abbreviations (e.g., Flickr, Tumblr, Grindr). While these names may seem cool or catchy for now, they may become outdated or clichéd over time. They could lose their originality and differentiation as more and more businesses adopt similar naming styles.

How to avoid choosing a trendy brand name.

To avoid being too trendy with your name, you should aim for a timeless and classic name. Avoid copying or imitating other popular brand names in your industry or category. Instead, look for words that are meaningful, distinctive and enduring.

Examples of brand names that defy trends.

For example, instead of using “-ify” as a suffix for your music streaming service (e.g., Musicify), you could use a word that relates to music history or culture (e.g., Rhapsody). Instead of using a misspelling or abbreviation for your photo-sharing app (e.g., Picr), you could use a word that evokes emotion or creativity (e.g., Snapjoy).

Mistake 4: Ignoring cultural connotations

What are cultural connotations in brand naming?

A cultural connotation is a meaning or association that a word or phrase has in a specific culture or language. For example, “Nike” is the name of the Greek goddess of victory and “Amazon” is the name of the largest river in the world. These names have positive and powerful connotations that enhance their brand image and appeal. However, not all cultural connotations are positive or appropriate. Some names may have negative, offensive or embarrassing meanings or associations in different cultures or languages. For example, “Nova” is a car brand that means “not going” in Spanish.

How to avoid choosing a culturally inappropriate brand name.

To avoid ignoring cultural connotations with your name, choose a respectful and suitable name for your target markets and audiences. Avoid using words or phrases with unintended or undesirable meanings or associations in different cultures or languages and look for words or phrases that are positive and relevant for your brand.

Examples of culturally appropriate brand names.

Instead of using “Nova” as a car brand in Spain, you could use “Luna”, which means “moon” and suggests elegance and innovation. Extensive research and a diverse creative team can help you get this right.

Mistake 5: Forgetting to do your research

Why is research important in brand naming?

Research is an essential part of the brand naming process. It helps you understand your brand positioning, ideal customers, competition and market. It also allows you to generate and evaluate your potential brand names. Without research, you may choose an irrelevant or inappropriate name for your business.

How to use research when choosing your brand name.

Choose your name based on data and insights rather than personal preference, opinion or assumptions. Look for sources and methods that can help you validate and refine your brand name so that you have checked it’s right for your business.

Examples of research tools for brand naming.

You can use online tools such as Namechk to check the availability of domain names and social media handles for your potential brand names. You can use online tools such as Google Trends to check the popularity and demand of keywords related to your possible brand names, or SurveyMonkey to conduct surveys and polls to get feedback from your target audience on your potential brand names.

Mistake 6: Not considering SEO

What is SEO, and why is it important in brand naming?

SEO stands for search engine optimisation, which is the process of improving the visibility and ranking of your website on search engines such as Google. SEO is important for your brand name because it affects how easily and quickly your customers can find you online. A good brand name can help you boost sales by attracting more visitors to your website.

How to incorporate SEO into brand naming.

Aim for a name that is optimised for search engines. You’ll need to do keyword research to establish what the popular search terms are for your industry. Avoid using phrases that are too common, similar, or obscure for search engines. Instead, look for names that are unique, relevant and keyword rich.

Examples of search engine optimised brand names.

Rather than using “The Flower Shop” as a florist business name, which is a little generic for search engines, you could use “Bloom & Blossom Flowers”, which is unique and descriptive. Once you have established a strong brand, keyword-rich branding becomes less relevant.

Mistake 7: Failing to trademark your name

What is a trademark?

A trademark is a legal protection that grants you the exclusive right to use a name, logo, slogan or design for your business. A trademark helps prevent others from using your name or a similar name for their business. It also allows you to build your brand recognition and reputation.

What happens if you don’t trademark your brand name?

Failing to trademark your name can expose your brand to the risk of infringement, confusion or dilution. Infringement occurs when someone else uses your name or a similar name for their business without your permission. Confusion occurs when customers mistake another business for yours because of their similar name. Dilution occurs when your name loses its distinctiveness or value because other businesses use it.

How to get it right.

Choose a name that is eligible and available for trademark registration. Avoid using names that are already registered or pending registration by other businesses. Instead, look for unique, distinctive names suitable for your business. To register and trademark your name in Australia, check out the Australian Government’s website.

Mistake 8: Being too narrow

What is a narrow brand name?

A narrow name is a name that limits your brand’s scope, potential or growth. Even though they have been highly successful, “Toys R Us” and “The Body Shop” are examples of narrow brand names. They restrict the brand’s ability to offer new products or services, enter new markets or segments, or adapt to changing customer needs and preferences.

How to avoid choosing a narrow brand name.

Aim for a flexible and scalable name. Avoid using words that are too literal, specific or restrictive for your brand. Instead, look for more abstract or suggestive words for your brand.

Examples of broader brand names.

“Toys R Us” could be called “Play”, which is more flexible and inclusive for different toys and customers. “The Body Shop” is quite literal and restrictive compared with “Lush”, which is more abstract and suggestive for different products and experiences.

Mistake 9: Not testing your name

Why you must test your brand name.

Testing your name is an important step in the brand naming process. It helps you to evaluate how your potential customers perceive and respond to your brand name. It also allows you to identify any issues or problems with your brand name before you launch it. You must test your name to avoid choosing a name disliked, misunderstood or ignored by your customers.

How to test your brand name.

To refine your brand name, use testing with your target audience (not your family!). When choosing your brand name, you should avoid relying solely on your opinion or judgment. Instead, look for ways and methods that can help you test your brand name with real customers, like surveys, polls or social media.

Examples of testing tools for brand names.

You can use online tools such as PickFu to run quick and easy polls to get feedback from your target audience on your potential brand names, or you can ask on social media. Getting help from a brand naming agency is also a good idea if your budget allows.

Mistake 10: Choosing A name that is hard to pronounce

Why you should avoid hard-to-pronounce brand names.

Hard-to-pronounce names are difficult for your customers to say or hear. “Miele” and “Huawei” are successful examples, but they can be challenging and frustrating for customers. They make it hard for your customers to communicate with you or others about your brand or remember or recall it.

How to avoid a hard-to-pronounce brand name.

To avoid choosing a name that is hard to pronounce, you should aim for a name that is easy and pleasant to say and hear. You should also avoid using words with unusual spellings, sounds or syllables for your brand. Instead, look for words that have familiar spellings, sounds and syllables for your brand.

Examples of easy-to-pronounce brand names.

For example, instead of using “Miele” as an appliance manufacturer name, which is pronounced as “MEE-luh” in German but often mispronounced as “MY-lee” or “MILL-ee” in English, you could use “Mila”, which is simpler and more consistent in pronunciation across languages. Instead of using “Huawei” as a smartphone maker name, which is pronounced as “HWA-way” in Chinese but often mispronounced as “HOO-a-way” or “HOO-way” in English, you could use “Hua”, which is shorter and more straightforward in pronunciation across languages.

Brand Naming: How to get it right

Choosing a great brand name is not easy, but it’s not impossible either. By avoiding these ten brand naming mistakes, you can create a brand name that is memorable, effective and suitable for your business. A brand name that reflects your brand strategy, resonates with your target audience and stands out from your competitors.

But you don’t have to do it alone. At Liquid Creativity, we’re experts in branding and naming. We can help you to create a brand name that is strategy-led, customer-focused and market-ready. We can help you avoid the common pitfalls and challenges of brand naming and guide you through the process with ease and confidence.

If you’re ready to take your brand to the next level with a great brand name, contact us today. We’d love to hear from you and help you with your brand naming needs.

FAQs

What is a brand naming mistake?

How does using a generic name hurt my brand?

What are some common mistakes when using geographic locations in a brand name?

Some common mistakes when using geographic locations in a brand name are:

Using a location that is too broad or vague (e.g., “Global Solutions”, “Worldwide Travel”)
Using a location that is too narrow or specific (e.g., “Swan Street Plumbing”, “Rose Bay Accounting”)
Using a location that is irrelevant or misleading (e.g., “New York Pizza”, “Paris Fashion”)

These mistakes can limit your brand’s scope, potential, or growth. They can also confuse or alienate your customers who are not from or familiar with the location.

What are some key factors to consider when creating a brand name?

Some key factors to consider when creating a brand name are:

Your brand strategy defines your goals, values, personality, and positioning. Your brand name should reflect and support your brand strategy.
Your target audience is the group of people who are most likely to buy or use your products or services. Your brand name should resonate and connect with your target audience.
Your competitors are the other businesses that offer similar products or services as yours. Your brand name should differentiate and distinguish your brand from your competitors.
Your industry is the category or sector that your business belongs to. Your brand name should be relevant and suitable for your industry.
Your culture is the set of beliefs, values, norms, and customs that influence your business. Your brand name should be respectful and appropriate for your culture.
Your SEO improves the visibility and ranking of your website on search engines. Your brand name should be optimised and keyword-rich for search engines.

How to build a great brand that’s aligned with your business

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August 20, 2020

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What is Brand Consistency & Why Every Business Should Care – Liquid Creativity

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August 2, 2020

Every business big or small could benefit from a consistent brand. Make sure to follow our tips to keep your brand aligned with who you are.

Brand Profiling: Building a Consistent Brand With a Compelling Personality

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The post How To Avoid The Top 10 Brand Naming Mistakes appeared first on Liquid Creativity.

How To Create A Successful Brand Identity: A Step-By-Step Guide

Liquid Designers — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 02:45:15 +0000

BRANDING

How To Create A Successful Brand Identity: A Step-By-Step Guide

Table of contents

To build your brand identity, you need to define your purpose, target audience, brand personality, brand positioning, brand name, tagline, visual identity and messaging, then implement it consistently across all touchpoints and monitor its effectiveness over time.

It’s a complex task, but building a strong brand identity is essential for any company that wants to stand out in today’s cluttered and competitive marketplace. Let’s step you through our process for creating a successful brand identity to help your business thrive.

What is brand identity?

A brand’s identity is more than just a logo or a tagline; it is a complete visual and verbal representation of your brand’s personality, values, and purpose.

Your brand identity is what makes you stand out. Our brand identity process helps you systematically consider all the important factors that work together to make up your brand identity.

Following this approach will help you strategically craft a differentiated brand identity, position your brand as a unique and compelling choice in the marketplace, attract customers, build loyalty, and drive sales while leaving a lasting impression that sets you apart from your competition.

Brand identity process

Here are the ten steps you can take to build and manage your brand identity:

Determine your brand’s purpose.
Define your target audience.
Research your competitors.
Create a personality for your brand.
Write a brand positioning statement.
Choose a name and tagline.
Establish your visual identity.
Create brand messaging.
Put your brand identity into action.
Monitor and refine your brand identity.

1. Determine your brand’s purpose

Brand purpose is the impact you want to make in the world.

Defining your brand’s purpose is the first step in developing a strong brand identity. Understanding and documenting your ‘why’ is critical because it serves as a guiding force for your decisions, actions, and overall strategy.

Your purpose is your reason for existence and should represent the deeper meaning and values that drive your business. It should embody the authentic and inspiring reason behind why you do what you do. This foundation will serve as a guidepost for all future branding efforts, ensuring that your messaging, visual identity, and marketing materials are consistent with your purpose.

You’ll need to undertake some deep introspection to define your brand purpose. Start by contemplating your brand’s unique story, the problem you solve, and the value you bring to customers’ lives. Reflect on your brand’s vision and the positive change you want to create.

For instance, a sustainable fashion brand’s purpose might be to promote ethical practices in the fashion industry, empower small-scale producers, and reduce environmental impact. By integrating fair-trade sourcing, transparent supply chains, and eco-friendly materials, they live their purpose and inspire customers who value conscious fashion choices.

2. Define your target audience

Your target audience is a specific group of people you aim to reach and serve.

Identifying your target audience is essential in developing a solid brand identity. You can tailor your branding strategy to better resonate with them if you understand their needs, preferences, and behaviours. Start by conducting market research to analyse demographics, psychographics, and consumer behaviors.

Dig deep into their needs, aspirations, pain points, and preferences. You can create detailed buyer personas that represent your ideal customers by gathering insights through surveys, interviews, and data analysis. These personas provide a clear picture of who you’re targeting, enabling you to tailor your messaging, products, and experiences to resonate with them on a deeper level.

For example, if you are a fitness apparel brand targeting health-conscious millennials, your target audience might be active individuals aged 25-35 who prioritise wellness, value sustainability, and seek unique, functional workout gear.

By understanding your audience, you can create marketing campaigns that emphasise eco-friendly materials. By honing in on your target audience’s desires and aspirations, you can effectively connect with them, build brand loyalty, and drive sales.

3. Research your competitors

Researching your competitors when creating your brand identity is a crucial step that can provide valuable insights and a competitive edge in the market. By understanding what your competitors offer and how they position themselves, you can identify opportunities to differentiate your brand and create a unique value proposition that resonates with your target audience.

To begin your competitor research, identify key industry players who target a similar audience. Explore their websites, social media profiles, and marketing materials to understand their brand messaging, services offered, and overall positioning. Take note of their strengths, weaknesses, and areas where you can outperform them.

Next, analyse their client testimonials and online reviews to uncover what customers appreciate about their services and where there may be room for improvement. Pay attention to common pain points or gaps in their offerings that you can address with your brand.

For instance, let’s say you’re a financial advisor targeting young professionals. Your research uncovers that your competitors focus on offering investment advice but customers are just as interested in learning how to make sound financial decisions.

You can fill that gap in the market by differentiating yourself and positioning your brand as an advisor who not only provides investment guidance but also offers comprehensive financial education resources like webinars, workshops, and online tools to empower customers to make informed financial decisions.

4. Create a personality for your brand

Brand personality is the human-like traits and characteristics that your brand embodies.

Creating a memorable and impactful brand identity requires the development of a strong brand personality. It distinguishes you from the competition and makes your brand more relatable to your target audience.

To create your brand personality, identify the key personality traits consistent with your brand’s purpose. Consider the emotions you want your brand to elicit and the personality traits that will assist you in achieving that. For example, if your brand is about innovation and pushing boundaries, you could embody a daring, bold and unapologetic personality.

The tone of voice you use will bring your brand personality to life. Spend time creating a description of your tone of voice including examples so that everyone who writes on behalf of the company knows how to bring the brand personality to life in communication piece they create for the brand.

For example, our daring, bold and unapologetic brand may announce an upcoming sale on social media like this: ‘Get ready for the most epic sale event of the year! Brace yourself for jaw-dropping discounts and unbeatable deals. It’s time to live boldly, shop fearlessly, and unleash your inner trailblazer.’

Consider your brand as a person with distinct personality traits, likes, dislikes, and quirks. You can give your brand persona a name and backstory to make it more relatable and engaging. Your brand persona should guide your communication strategy, ensuring your messaging and tone are consistent across all channels.

5. Write a brand positioning statement

A brand positioning statement succinctly defines how a brand differentiates itself from competitors.

To create a brand positioning statement:

Identify what makes you different.
Consider the benefits and value your brand offers and how it fulfills the specific needs of your audience.
Distill these elements into a clear and concise statement that encapsulates your brand’s unique position in the market.

Here is a template and a completed example you can use as inspiration for creating your brand positioning statement:

Template: For [insert your target market] looking for [product, service or problem you solve], our [product/service] is a [name the category] that does [the key problem-solving capability]. Unlike [primary alternative], we [key differentiator].
Completed example: For discerning home renovators seeking innovative design solutions, our architectural firm offers a visionary approach to transforming spaces. Our designs are a fusion of art and functionality, redefining the category of residential architecture. Unlike other architects, we seamlessly integrate sustainability principles into our designs, creating eco-friendly and energy-efficient homes that inspire and endure.

6. Choose a name and tagline

Your brand name and tagline are vital in shaping your brand identity and leaving a lasting impression on your target audience. Your brand name must be memorable and evoke your brand’s essence. It should reflect your brand’s purpose, personality, positioning and appeal to your target audience. Similarly, if you choose to have a tagline, it should be a concise, catchy statement that quickly communicates your brand’s value.

Consider your brand’s core values, target audience, and competitive landscape to create a compelling brand name and tagline. Brainstorm words, concepts, and associations that align with your brand’s identity and positioning. Remember to aim for clarity, simplicity, and relevance to your industry.

Think about using variations on your name, use something descriptive or invent a new word. Test different options with your target audience to gauge their response and refine your choices.

A great brand name and tagline example is IMAX, which used a combination of the words ‘image’ and ‘maximum’ for their brand. Their tagline ‘Think Big’ reinforces their brand identity, encouraging audiences to aspire to grander experiences and embrace the immersive and awe-inspiring world of big screen theatres.

7. Establish your visual identity

Your visual identity consists of your logo, colour palette, typography, and other graphic elements that represent and differentiate your brand.

Your logo and visual identity play a massive role in creating a strong and memorable brand identity. They are the visual elements that convey the essence and brand personality to your target audience. A well-designed logo and consistent visual identity can make a lasting impression and lead to better business performance.

The first step in developing your visual identity is creating a logo and selecting your colour palette. Your logo is the focal point of your visual identity and should be easily identifiable and memorable. The colours you choose for your brand can significantly impact how your audience perceives it. Colours can convey emotions and create a certain mood, so choosing colours that align with your brand’s personality and values is essential.

Your visual identity should include typography and other graphic elements such as patterns, icons and imagery in addition to your logo and colour palette. The typography you choose should be easy to read and reflect the personality and tone of your brand. It is also critical to select versatile typography that can be used in various mediums, such as print and digital.

There are a vast array of options for logo and colour palette design. You can try a DIY approach using intuitive (and sometimes free) online tools, but these have limitations in creativity, originality and their ability to represent your personality visually.

You could work with a graphic designer or engage a professional brand design agency with the expertise to help you clarify your brand’s purpose, positioning, values and personality and then bring it to life.

An excellent example of a brand that understands the importance of a strong logo and visual identity is Nike. The iconic Nike ‘swoosh’ logo represents movement and athleticism. It is instantly recognisable and serves as a symbol of their commitment to empowerment.

Nike’s visual identity extends beyond the logo, incorporating consistent use of bold typography, dynamic imagery, and a distinct color palette, creating a cohesive and powerful brand presence across all channels.

8. Create brand messaging

Brand messaging is a set of words and phrases that communicate your unique value proposition and personality.

Developing your brand messaging is a critical part of creating your brand identity. Your communication needs to be consistent, clear, and genuine. It should convey your brand’s distinct personality and values while connecting with your target audience, and to do this, you need to have decided ahead of time what phrases and words best achieve these goals.

An excellent way to do this is to create a messaging hierarchy, which is the order that you want to convey your brand’s messaging. For example, a key messaging hierarchy for a sustainable fashion brand could include the following levels:

Primary message: Fashion that cares for the planet.
- Supporting message 1: Sustainably sourced materials and ethical production practices.
- Supporting message 2: Stylish designs that don’t compromise on quality.
- Supporting message 3: Join the sustainable fashion movement.
Call-to-action: Shop our eco-friendly collection and make a positive impact.

9. Put your brand identity into action

Once you have developed your brand identity, you can implement it across your website, social media platforms, advertising, and other physical and marketing materials. Building a strong brand identity and ensuring your messaging is memorable and resonates with your target audience require consistency.

This is where your brand style guide is useful. A brand style guide is a document that specifies how your brand should be represented across all channels. It explains how to correctly use your logo, colour palette, typography, and other visual elements. It also includes information about your brand’s messaging hierarchy, tone of voice, and specific words or phrases to use or avoid.

Every customer touchpoint should reflect your brand’s identity, from your website to social media pages to business cards, uniforms, signage and brochures. Ensure consistency across all channels by having a brand guide that helps to consistently maintain your brand’s identity.

10. Monitor and refine your brand identity

Developing a successful brand identity is an ongoing process. After establishing and implementing your brand identity across all channels, you need to monitor it over time. Your business and target audience may evolve, and your brand may need to adapt. You might need to improve your messaging, change your visual identity, or even redefine your brand’s purpose.

Monitoring your brand identity with your target audience helps assess its effectiveness and make any necessary changes. You could undertake surveys, focus groups, or other market research, or run various marketing campaigns to see what brings the best results. Gathering data and feedback can provide valuable insights into how customers perceive your brand and what changes may be required.

Ready to create your brand identity?

A strong brand identity builds credibility and customer trust, increasing brand recognition and loyalty. Take the time to invest in your brand identity, and your company will thrive.

By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can try your hand at developing a brand identity for your business, although many companies outsource this important task to branding experts. If you’d like to see how this might work for your business, get in touch for a free introductory chat.

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The post How To Create A Successful Brand Identity: A Step-By-Step Guide appeared first on Liquid Creativity.

How To Conduct A Brand Audit: A Step-By-Step Guide

Liquid Designers — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 01:49:38 +0000

BRANDING

How To Conduct A Brand Audit: A Step-By-Step Guide

Table of contents

To do a brand audit, you need to define your brand, analyse your market position, review your visual identity and messaging, evaluate your brand’s touchpoints and make an action plan. Brand audit checklists, templates and tools can help.

That sounds like a lot. But in this step-by-step guide, we’ll help you through the process and share expert tips to make it easier. Let’s begin by explaining brand audits and why you need to do one.

What is a brand audit?

A brand audit is an evaluation of your branding efforts to identify gaps, strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement. It helps to ensure your branding aligns with your goals and resonates with your audience.

Regular brand audits are essential for companies that want to build a solid and successful brand.

Our brand audit process systematically examines brand identity, market position, visual identity, messaging, and touchpoints. Following this approach will help you conduct a comprehensive brand audit to get valuable insights into your branding efforts.

When should you do a brand audit?

Here are seven situations when a brand audit might be needed:

If you feel your brand no longer represents your business
To help you decide if your brand needs a minor refresh or a complete overhaul
If you are expanding your products or services
If you are making a geographic move
If you are undergoing a merger or acquisition
If your sales have dropped off or your marketing isn’t achieving results
If your brand developed organically without a strategy behind it

Brand audit process

Here are the steps you can take to audit your brand:

Define your brand
Analyse your brand’s market position
Review your brand’s visual identity
Audit your brand’s messaging
Evaluate your brand’s touchpoints
Make an action plan and monitor progress

1. Define your brand

The first step in conducting a brand audit is to define your brand. This step comprehensively examines your brand identity, vision, mission, values, and personality to ensure your branding efforts are delivered consistently, align with your business goals, resonate with your target audience and build customer loyalty.

A. Clarify your mission and vision

Your mission and vision should drive all that you do. Your mission is your purpose. It’s a statement about what you want to achieve. The vision is the future goal. Think of it like a road map to achieve your mission. Defining your mission and vision will take some deep thinking and time, but it’s highly worthwhile because it sets the tone for your entire business.

B. Document your brand identity

Your brand identity incorporates your brand name, logo, slogan, other visual components and the tone of voice of your written content. Your brand identity must be appealing to your customers. It also must be presented consistently across all platforms, like your website, social media profiles, ads and stationery. It’s useful to document your brand identity in a brand guidelines document so all brand materials can be created with the same consistent identity.

C. Detail your brand values

Your brand values are what your company stands for. They address the convictions and rules that guide your brand’s behaviour. Defining your values and ensuring they flow through every part of your business is essential to build customer trust and brand loyalty.

D. Assign your brand personality

Brand personality is the human attributes and characteristics that address the brand’s image and voice. You should always ensure every customer touchpoint is delivered with your defined brand personality in mind.

2. Analyse your brand’s market position

The second step in conducting a brand audit is to analyse your brand’s position in the market. This step involves comprehensively examining your brand’s competitive landscape, along with a SWOT analysis and consumer research. This step will help you better understand your brand’s market position, identify areas for improvement and develop a more effective marketing strategy.

A. Conduct competitive analysis

Conducting a competitive analysis helps you understand your competition’s strengths and weaknesses compared with your own. With this information, you can identify the gaps in the market and find out where you can place your brand compared to theirs.

Look at their brand positioning, product range, pricing, distribution channels, target audience, messaging and marketing tactics as a starting point.

B. Undertake a SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis helps to identify your brand’s internal strengths and weaknesses, along with the opportunities and threats in the external environment. Conducting a SWOT analysis is a structured way to help you better understand your brand’s market position and identify opportunities for improvement.

C. Perform consumer research

Doing consumer research helps you understand your ideal audience’s needs and preferences. The more you know about who they are, how they think and what they’re looking for in a company, service or product, the more you can communicate effectively with them.

Check your online reviews, do a poll on social media or set up interviews with your customers and ask in-depth questions. It will help you identify opportunities to create an effective marketing strategy or improve your existing one.

3. Review your brand’s visual identity

The third step in conducting a brand audit is to review your brand’s visual identity. This step thoroughly examines your brand’s logo and tagline, colour palette, typography, brand imagery and photography. Reviewing your brand’s visual identity ensures that your branding efforts are consistent, memorable and reflect your brand’s values and personality. This can help build brand recognition and loyalty and drive business growth.

A. Analyse your logo and tagline

Your brand’s logo and tagline are your visual identity’s most prominent and recognisable elements. Take time to assess if they are simple, memorable, reflect your brand’s values and personality, and appeal to your customers. Ask staff and customers for feedback and be prepared to update them if they’re no longer doing the job.

B. Scrutinise your colour palette and typography

Your brand’s colour palette and typography are crucial in creating a consistent and recognisable brand image. Therefore, it is essential to ensure they are consistent across all touchpoints and reflect your brand’s values and personality.

C. Review your brand imagery and photography

Once again, your brand’s imagery and photography should reflect your brand’s values and personality and resonate with your target audience. Spend some time checking that your imagery and photography are consistent and appealing because if they aren’t, it can hinder the success of your business.

4. Document your brand’s messaging

The fourth step in conducting a brand audit is to define your brand’s messaging. This step involves a comprehensive examination of your customer’s needs to ensure what you say and how you say it appeals to your target audience and effectively communicates your brand’s key benefits.

A. Examine brand messaging and tone of voice

Review your current marketing materials to analyse how you talk about your brand. Your brand’s messaging and tone of voice should be consistent across all touchpoints and reflect your brand’s values and personality.

B. Define brand messaging and tone of voice

Document the key messages of the brand to ensure that you are always talking about the brand and the products and services in the same way. Make sure your communications are consistent with the brand by linking your tone of voice to the personality and values.

5. Evaluate your brand’s touchpoints

The fifth step in conducting a brand audit is to evaluate your brand’s touchpoints to see if they are consistent, well-designed, and uphold your brand identity. You need to examine every contact point where your customer might interact with your brand, like your website, social media accounts and marketing, as well as the customer experience, your physical store or offices and customer service channels.

By evaluating your brand’s touchpoints, you can identify areas for improvement and ensure that your branding efforts effectively build brand recognition, loyalty, and advocacy to drive business growth.

A. Review website content

Your website is often the first touchpoint for potential customers, and making a good impression is essential. First, check that your content is well-organised, easy to navigate and optimised for search engines. Then, make sure your website clearly communicates how you will help customers.

Ensure your messaging is consistent and quickly gives people the information they need. Try to ensure you’ve demonstrated that you understand precisely what they need and show them how your product or service delivers.

B. Investigate social media content and engagement

Your social media presence is crucial in building brand awareness, engagement, and loyalty. Check that you are posting information and imagery on your social media that’s engaging, informative and reflects the business’ personality, messaging and vision. Ensure you engage with your followers promptly and authentically in the brand’s tone of voice.

C. Evaluate your marketing efforts

In addition to your website and social media, you need to analyse all other marketing for consistent branding. Look at emails and newsletters, advertising, events, sponsorship, and public relations activities and see if there are opportunities for improvement.

D. Study your customer journey

Your customers’ experience with your brand can significantly impact their brand perception and their likelihood of becoming repeat customers or advocates. Therefore, you must ensure that your customer journey is well-designed, easy to navigate and a positive experience.

It’s also important that your brand’s values and personality are consistently delivered throughout. Customers will go elsewhere if your in-store service doesn’t live up to your website’s friendly and welcoming tone.

6. Make an action plan and monitor progress

The sixth and final step in conducting your brand audit is to create an action plan. It should identify all the areas for improvement that you uncovered in your audit. Ensure you prioritise your action plan and allocate the right resources to get it done. Hire expert help if you need it. Monitor your progress to see if your changes help you achieve your goals.

Brand audit checklist and template

A brand audit checklist and template can help ensure your brand audit is comprehensive, thorough, and effective.

A. Importance of having a brand audit checklist

A brand audit checklist can help you stay organised and cover all the necessary components of a brand audit. It can also help you identify improvement areas and develop actionable insights to improve your branding efforts.

B. Examples of brand audit templates

Many brand audit templates are available online, and you can choose one that best fits your specific needs and objectives. Some examples of brand audit templates include a SWOT analysis template, a brand identity audit template, and a customer experience audit template.

When selecting a brand audit template, it’s essential to ensure that it covers all the components of a comprehensive brand audit.

Auditing your brand is crucial in building a solid and recognisable brand. By following the five steps outlined in this post and using a brand audit checklist and template, you can ensure that your branding efforts effectively communicate your brand’s values and personality and drive business growth.

Brand audit tools

Conducting a brand audit can be complex and time-consuming, but many tools are available to help make the process easier and more efficient. Here are three tools that can be especially helpful in conducting a brand audit:

A. Brand audit software

There are many different tasks to complete for your brand audit. One of the best ways to ensure you don’t miss any necessary steps is to set up a project in a task management app. Examples of task management software that you could use to manage your branding audit project are Monday, Asana and Trello.

B. Analytics and data visualisation tools

Analytics and data visualisation tools can help you to track and analyse your brand’s performance metrics, including website traffic, social media engagement, and customer satisfaction. In addition, these tools can help you identify improvement areas and develop actionable insights to improve your branding efforts. Examples of analytics and data visualisation tools include Google Analytics, SEMrush, and Tableau.

C. Survey and feedback tools

Survey and feedback tools can gather feedback from customers and stakeholders about their perceptions of your brand. These tools can help you identify improvement areas and understand how your brand is perceived in the marketplace. Examples of survey and feedback tools include SurveyMonkey, Typeform, and Qualtrics.

Ready to tackle your brand audit?

A brand audit is essential for any business looking for ways to improve its results. By following our step-by-step process, you can ensure that your branding efforts effectively communicate your brand’s values and personality, differentiate your brand from competitors, and drive business growth.

Remember, brands evolve over time, so a brand audit isn’t a set and forget task. A successful brand requires ongoing effort and attention, so you may need to revisit and refine your branding as your business evolves.

If you’d prefer to use a branding expert to complete your brand audit, please reach out for a free introductory chat.

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The post How To Conduct A Brand Audit: A Step-By-Step Guide appeared first on Liquid Creativity.

How to Add Value to Your Brand and How to Communicate This to Your Customers

Liquid Designers — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 09:56:49 +0000

BRANDING

How to Add Value to Your Brand and How to Communicate This to Your Customers

For any successful business, their brand is one of their most valuable assets. To reach this point requires a commitment to building a truly exceptional brand in the first place. Not only do you need to create a brand identity that makes you stand out, but you also need to communicate to your customers the value that your brand represents.

So, if you want to go about doing just that, read on for our guide.

Table of contents

What does it mean to add value to my brand?

‘Adding value’ can be a problematic term to define fully. There are lots of different ways you could conceivably add value to a product or service. You can make it more financially appealing. You could provide a more efficient service. Or you could change the design aesthetics.

With so many different things falling under the same title, it’s essential to carefully consider what is really meant by adding value to your brand.

When you’re considering your brand’s value, you need to put yourself in your customers’ shoes. Their opinion is the most important one. With that in mind adding value to your brand means creating a product/service and experience that solves your customers’ problem. The way that you do that should prioritise the features and aesthetics that your customers most highly rate.

What is customer perceived value?

When it comes to anything relating to your brand, the most important critics are your potential customers.

When they look at your marketing and all your messaging, they will come to an opinion about how much value you can offer them. This is usually a balance between the benefits they get from choosing you and the cost. When your customers weigh these points, they will determine the value of your brand.

It’s important to remember that what customers are most often looking for are solutions. For instance, you don’t buy a hammer to have a hammer. You buy a hammer so you can put nails in a wall. What this means is that a large factor in the calculation of customer perceived value is going to be a judgement of how well your solution will work for each customer.

Adding extras to your solution might seem like a shortcut to increasing your customer perceived value. However, if the extras are of no use to your customers, they won’t alter the value at all. For instance, I wouldn’t value a hammer anymore if it also played music – that’s not what I need a hammer for.

Competing on value or competing on price?

It can be easy to get sidetracked into focusing only on price. When asked to picture a ‘value’ item, many people picture discount or cheap options. However, there is a lot more to value than just the cost.

The price of your product should absolutely be considered when you are thinking about the value you’re offering. Pricing yourself at the lower end of the marketplace can also be a reasonable way to compete. Doing so does place you on a certain track, however.

If you decide to complete on price alone, then you are deciding to offer not only a low priced solution but in most cases a low-value one as well. Otherwise, you’ll be hard-pressed to actually make a profit.

Choosing to compete on value instead of price means that you can make a better quality product and price it accordingly. By focusing on the value, you can get out of the race to the bottom and not only create something that your customers want, but also place yourself in a position to have larger profit margins.

You need to clearly understand which type of company you are. If you are focused on providing value, you will be marketing towards a different type of consumer than if you choose to compete on price alone. Knowing who you are marketing to is a vital component of any brand strategy.

Understand value with market research

Because the value of what you’re selling is very much in the eye of your customers, it’s vital that you carry out thorough research. In order to give your customers a product they value, you need to clearly understand what is most important to them.

Market research is a vital piece in developing your brand strategy. It is something that you should also regularly return to. Customers’ opinions change, and so does the competition. In order to continue to offer a solid value proposition to your customers, you need to continue to check in with them about what they want and need. If their priorities change, then the perceived value of your solution can also change.

Make social listening a habit

It can be tempting to rely on numbers to assess the effectiveness of social media offerings. However, if you just look at the numbers of followers, likes, and #tags, you’ll be missing out on a wealth of useful information.

Social media gives you the ability to look at the broader background to your customers. You can see what they care about, what they have to say about your company, and what the rest of your industry is doing.

Taking the time to listen to your followers can provide you with valuable insight. It also gives you the opportunity for more personal interactions. Both of these are ways to add to the value of your brand. You can use these insights to tailor your solution to your customer’s needs, and you can make them feel heard. There is no better way to build loyalty and buy-in than that.

Show your customers you ‘get’ them

Because value is a rather intangible quality, it means that there are a lot of less obvious components to it. Whether or not a brand aligns with a customer’s ideals and world view can be a large contributing factor to how much value a brand is perceived to have. By showing your customers that you have a shared view of the world, you can raise your estimation in their eyes.

A recent example of this is how large brands responded to the BLM movement that followed the death of George Floyd. P.E. Nation posted supportive messages about equality on Instagram. Aesop shared the names of other black people who had been killed by police and made donations to relevant charities.

Both of these were marketing decisions.

P.E. Nation received a fair amount of backlash. Many of their customers pointed to their lack of action and their vague messaging. At the same time, Aesop got a lot of positive reactions. Their messaging was more specific, and they did something, which showed a better understanding of how their customers felt.

Create (and deliver) a brand promise

When customers choose your brand, they should know exactly what to expect. One of the best ways to communicate your brand’s most important value proposition is through a promise. This makes it clear to your customers what you value most. It’s a quick way for them to assess if your views on what’s important matches theirs.

However, there is absolutely no point in making a promise if you are unable to keep it. If you say you are going to do something, it is important to make sure you do all you can to keep your word. If you don’t, it will get out, and that will be what your brand becomes known for.

Improve the user experience

As we’ve explored, value goes far beyond money. In fact, one of the most valuable things you can offer your customers is time. If you can find ways to save them time or make the time they spend using your product easier and more pleasant, then you will be adding a large amount of value to your offering.

Focusing on your users’ experiences will identify places where you can smooth things out. Creating value is all about seeing things from your customers’ point of view. Streamlining and improving all aspects of your customers’ experience is an important tool for building the value of your brand.

Emphasise unique qualities

When you’re competing in a crowded market, it’s important to know what makes you stand out from the crowd. This means taking the time to get to grip with what your competitors offer and then highlighting what it is that makes you unique.

By making a point to tell your customers about what makes you different, you’re also telling them about how you are the better value option.

Humanise your business

As a species, we have an innate desire to form social bonds. We’re so good at it that we see faces in everything from clouds to the dirt on a truck. When it comes to marketing, you can use this desire to form bonds to help build your brand. The easier you make it for your customer’s to form a relationship with your brand, the stronger that relationship will be.

There are lots of easy ways to bring the human touch to your brand and elevate it from being a faceless corporate entity. But, before you go running out to find the perfect face for your brand, why not instead make use of all the people who already have.

Using your real employees in their real workspaces is a great way to bring some life to your brand. You can be a little playful and let some of your employees’ personalities shine through as well.

Your employees are your greatest resource when it comes to humanising your brand. They are ideally placed to be the ambassadors you need. They know your company and hopefully are invested in your company’s success.

When possible, try to interact with your customers on a personal level. This can be as simple as personalising your automated mailings; it’s a lot easier to feel positive about an email when you’re addressed by name rather than as ‘valued customer’.

Deliver value before and after the sale

When you’re thinking about the value you offer your customers; you need to think about their entire experience. When value is behind your offering, you need to make it a core part of everything you do. It can be tempting to simply focus your efforts on small sections of the user experience.

It’s not uncommon to fall into the trap of focusing solely on the product or the sales experience. However, customers will focus on the aspects of their experience that are ‘less than’. It’s no good having an amazing sales experience if the after sale care is sub-par. If you set your brand up as the best value choice, you need to consistently deliver on that promise.

Involve customers behind-the-scenes

Customers love to feel like they have a real connection with their favourite brands. The better they know your brand, the more loyal they will be and the better they will be as a brand ambassador. There are two great ways to achieve this.

The first is to invite your customers to see what happens behind the scenes. This can be as simple as creating some videos that show some of the unseen aspects of your company. Giving customers this sort of behind the scenes access makes them feel more invested in your company.

The second way to get customers involved is to ask for, and make use of, user-generated content. People love to see their pictures and content featured. So, if one of your customers makes something great, then why not ask if you can use it. Or ask all your customers to share pictures or videos of your product. It’s a cheap and easy way to create a buzz and to help turn your customers into ambassadors.

Communicate to employees, not just customers

It’s vital that before you tell your customers something, you first tell all of your employees. This is a step that can be easy to forget. Doing so can cause a lot of problems and make your company look unprofessional.

One big reason for doing this is so that your employees aren’t blindsided. If you make a promise to your customers about something, then you can guarantee that it’s going to come up during a sales pitch or a customer service call. If your employees don’t know what the customers are talking about, then it causes problems for everyone. You employees feel like they’ve been left out of the loop, and your customers lose confidence that you’ll follow through on your promises.

Another reason why it’s important to communicate with your employees is that consistency is a massive component of building an effective brand. All of your employees will have some contact with customers or potential customers at some point, so it’s important that they all give the same message.

If every point of contact a customer has with a company gives them a different message, then they won’t feel certain about what the brand is actually offering.

A marketing expert’s tips on simplifying business decision making

Liquid Designers — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 09:04:03 +0000

BUSINESS

A marketing expert’s tips on simplifying business decision making

Business decision making is a vital part of any company. Modern management depends on the ability to make better decisions, and these decisions sustain the activities of the entire business. Decisions need to be made at every single level of management, and many employees are required to make critical business decisions on a regular basis.

These decisions are integral for ensuring the organisation’s goals are being achieved, but making these decisions isn’t always easy.

In most cases, business decision making requires you to identify the goal you want to achieve, collect relevant information, and weigh up all the options before making a final choice. Decision making can be difficult, and many different factors need to be considered when you are making business-changing choices.

We are here to share our marketing expert’s top tip to help simplify business decision making. Brand positioning is an effective strategy, giving you and your team the ability to make better decisions for your business.

In this guide, we will look into what brand positioning is, how to determine it, and how it can help your decision-making process.

Table of contents

What is brand positioning?

Brand positioning is a term that is thrown around a lot by marketing professionals. It defines what your brand stands for and is the reputation that your business will be known for among consumers. Brand positioning allows a business to differentiate itself from the competition and stand out from the crowds.

Brand positioning can help boost brand awareness, justify pricing and communicate the value of a product or business. Some people describe brand positioning as the space that a company owns in the minds of its consumers. Every business will have a brand position, whether it has proactively created a strategy for it or not.

When your business can position itself in the right way to consumers, it can help to create a major advantage in the industry. Brand positioning leads to market differentiation and highlights the uniqueness of your product or company. This marketing strategy can be used to demonstrate how one of your products solves a specific consumer problem in a better way than competitors.

A clear brand position will provide your customers with the answers they need to make purchasing decisions. The ability to make better decisions is an often-underestimated benefit of brand positioning.

How do I figure out my brand’s positioning?

Figuring out your existing brand positioning and deciding if it is the right strategy for your business isn’t always an easy task. Your brand will already have a position in consumers’ minds, whether you have done this on purpose or not.

In order to figure out what your brand positioning is and what it should be, you need to spend some time researching your industry. Look at your competitors and figure out what brand position they have chosen, and how well that is working for them. Once you know where your business sits among its competitor set, you can determine a position that will help your brand stand out.

Your brand position also needs to be authentic to you and reflect your values as a company. Look at your business story and mission and incorporate all your values in your brand positioning strategy.

Think carefully about your target audience and define your market so that you can create a brand position that is relevant to them. Figuring out your brand positioning is ultimately about figuring out what makes you different from the rest and what value you bring to your customers.

How does brand positioning help with decision making?

Having solid brand positioning is vital for effective decision making. When you know exactly who your business is, what it stands for and how it fits in customers’ minds, you can make decisions to help the brand flourish.
If you want your team to be able to make better decisions on a daily basis, then you need to keep your brand positioning in mind. It should be used as a base for every business decision that is made.

When you consider if a decision fits with your brand positioning, it can help you to make more effective choices that will lead to success. There are many reasons why brand positioning helps with decision making;

Guides strategic decisions and marketing mix

Brand positioning can help to guide strategic decision making. Your ability to make decisions that will truly help your business thrive can be improved when you keep your brand position at the core of everything you do.

Strategic decision making is all about setting yourself up for long term success and meeting longer-term goals and visions for your business. When you have your brand positioning as your reason and base for every decision, you will be better able to clarify the bigger picture. This will help your business to align short term plans into a deeper and broader mission for your brand.

Your marketing mix also needs to be aligned with your brand positioning. If you are defining your marketing mix elements, then your brand positioning needs to be at the forefront. Once you know your brand’s positioning, the most effective elements of the marketing mix will be more straightforward and easier to identify.

If you have an inconsistent marketing mix compared with your brand positioning, then it can lead to confusion over your products and business. Starting with your brand position in mind, and then identifying your marketing mix will help keep your business decisions on track.

Helps evaluate partnerships and opportunities

Businesses regularly have to make decisions about the partnerships and opportunities they pursue. Choosing the wrong partnerships can harm your business and affect how consumers perceive you.

When you keep your brand position in mind when deciding potential opportunities and partnership, you can focus on the ones that will truly benefit you.

The brand position provides some much-needed clarity in the bigger vision for your company, helping you to decide on the partnerships that are right for business.

You only want to partner with others that fit with your brand positioning strategy and share your values. A business should only choose to take opportunities that reflect these elements of their brand as well. If you are presented an opportunity that doesn’t align well with your brand, then keeping your positioning strategy in mind will help you understand why it isn’t the right choice.

On the flip side, partnerships and opportunities that fit well with your brand position are easy to make decisions about as you can clearly see the benefits to your business.

Provides framework for market research

Market research is absolutely essential for effective decision making. It provides a base of knowledge for decisions to be made upon. However, just going out and doing any market research you possibly can won’t help your business make educated decisions.

Your market research must be relevant and accurate to your consumer base and industry. Having a solid brand positioning strategy gives you a framework for your market research. It is a starting point that you can build upon, to ensure that your efforts are being focused in the right place.

When you and your teams know exactly where your business sits within its competitor set and what your vision for the brand is, you can make better decisions when it comes to market research. There is no need for conducting research on companies that are not direct competitors of yours, and no use for researching consumers that aren’t in your target market.

Brand positioning sets out these elements so that your market research can be carried out effectively and successfully. That market research can then improve your ability to make better decisions for your business.

Enables better leadership throughout your business structure

No matter the size of your company, leadership is vital for success. When it comes to making decisions, business leaders are usually very involved. Brand positioning can improve leadership throughout the business structure. This is because it ensures that everyone is on the same page about the business and its goals.

No matter the level of seniority in the business, leaders should all have the same brand position at the forefront of their minds. When every manager in the company is focused on the same goal, they will be able to make more consistent leadership decisions.

A well-understood brand positioning strategy helps leaders right across the business to make decisions with the same goals in mind. When this brand position is then filtered down into every employee and member of the team, it ensures the entire business structure will keep it at the heart of everything they do.

Companies that are able to keep their position and branding guidelines consistent across the entire business are better placed to make effective and successful decisions.

Attracts and helps evaluate new recruits

Brand positioning isn’t just about what customers think of your business, but also potential employees and partners. Having a strong brand position will help to attract the right talent to your business.

When the world knows who you are, what you stand for and what makes you different from the rest, you are more likely to attract the kinds of employees that reflect your values. The people you hire are one of the most important assets to your business, and it is vital that they blend into your brand position.

Brand positioning will also help you to make informed recruitment decisions. When you use your brand position to evaluate potential new team members, you can make sure you hire individuals that resemble your values and goals.

Employees reflect the brand’s messaging, especially if they are customer-facing. When you incorporate brand positioning into your recruitment decision-making process, you will be able to hire the best people to help your business grow.

Assists collaboration with creatives and partners

When your business has a well-defined brand positioning strategy in place, you will have the ability to make better decisions when it comes to communication. Working with creatives and partners, whether it be designers, copywriters, photographers or something else entirely, requires a solid understanding of your brand and values.

Creatives and partners will be better able to evoke the emotions of your business and its customers when they understand your brand position.

If you are deciding which marketing campaign, collateral design or publication to work with, your brand positioning can help you find the right choice. A business that has more focus on where they are going will be better placed to make impactful decisions.

A successful brand strategy will narrow your audience and market and highlight your unique selling points. This makes decisions easier and simpler because it eliminates a lot of the other options on the table.

Support brand longevity and long term success

A well planned and defined brand positioning strategy will provide business decision-makers with a compass which will help to steer all long term decisions in the right direction. When your brand is positioned correctly for success, your longevity will be supported.

An effective branding strategy will impact your brand personality, communication, core messaging, identity, tone of voice and much more. All of these aspects help contribute to the long term success of your brand.

When every member of your team has your brand’s positioning strategy as a basis for their decision making, they will inevitably make choices that are better for your business’ long-term future. A good brand positioning strategy will map out all the attributes needed to help support brand longevity and long term success.

The ability to make better decisions comes from a brand positioning strategy that sets out who the target market is, the unique selling points of products, and the values of the business.

What kind of brand positioning documents should my business have?

If you are looking to improve your brand positioning and creating a strategy that will help your business decision-making processes, then you will need to implement some documentation. Brand positioning statements are the most common options for documents for a brand strategy.

A brand positioning statement is a short description of your business, product or service, and its target market. It will also include how your product or service fulfils the need of the defined target market. These statements are essential internal tools for determining all marketing efforts and supporting decision making.

The purpose of these brand positioning statements is that they clearly define;
Your customer base and who your business serves
Your product offering and how they serve your market
How your products help your market resolve a problem
Why your business does what it does
How your business is different from the rest of the industry

Brand guidelines are another set of documents that can help to support brand positioning, and they usually provide all the information related to your brand identity. Brand style guides usually include a brand story, logo guidelines, colour palettes, font and typography, image guidelines and any other vital branding information.

10 Questions that are key to understanding your business

Liquid Designers — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 09:01:44 +0000

STRATEGY

10 Questions that are key to understanding your business

If you want to run an effective business, you must clearly understand your strategy and where you stand in the market. If you want to have a strong overview of your business, there are ten big questions that you need to consider.

Having the answers to these questions will help you to make consistent and effective decisions.

Table of contents

Why is it important to better understand my business?

The better you understand the big picture of your business, the better placed you are to react to change. If you aim to grow your business, then you will also need this information in hand. Not only will it let you keep everything moving in the right direction; it will also mean you can talk about your business to investors or prospective customers with confidence.

Why was the business founded?

It’s really important to keep your eye on why you founded your business in the first place. Having the why behind your business gives you more credibility and gives you a mission. Both of these things make it easier to recruit and retain talented employees.

The story of the why behind your business is also useful for attracting more customers. When people know the story behind your business, they feel more connected and engaged.

]The other reason you should be able to answer this question is that it goes to the very heart of what your business does. Most businesses are created to solve a problem. It’s only by knowing the ins and outs of the problem you are trying to solve that you can effectively identify and then market to your customers.

What are the business’ current goals?

Whether you’re looking to grow your business or just hoping to maintain the status quo, it’s important to have short term goals. These should, ideally, be well-defined goals.

The best goals are SMART ones. That means your goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. In other words, you have a specific goal in mind that you can measure so, you know if you’ve achieved it or not.

It should be something that you can actually achieve, and you have some control over. Finally, you should have a time period in mind over which you’ll work towards it. At the end of that period, you’ll review and revise your targets.

Depending on your company’s size, you may just have overarching goals for the whole company, or you might have specific goals for diffraction teams. It’s important that everyone knows what these are, as they will keep you moving in the direction you need.

Where do we want to be in 5, 10 and 20 years’ time?

Short term goals are important for driving the direction of your company on a day to day basis. However, it is vital that you also take some time to consider where you see your company in the more distant future.

If you can describe where your company should be in 5, 10, and 20 years, that will give you a roadmap and a vision that the whole company can get behind.

Obviously, your long term goals don’t need to be as specific as your short term ones. We are all very aware that life can throw some highly unexpected curve balls. But these big overarching goals make it clear to everyone where the company is pointing.

Once you have your long term goals decided, you should make a point to plan to revisit them. Thinking about them once a year is a good idea. It allows you to check if you’re still all pulling in the right direction. It can also identify if you might need to reconsider where your company is going.

Who is our target customer?

No matter what you’re selling, you must know who your customer is. The more specific you can be about who your customers are, the better your chances of successfully marketing to them.

When you think of your target customer, you should be able to be hyper-specific about them. It can be helpful to create a profile of your ideal customer. From this, you can develop a really clear picture of who it is that you’re selling to.

However, it is worth checking that the people who are buying from you match your picture of your target customers. It’s not uncommon for you to end up with a different customer demographic than you intended.

If that happens, it’s important to take some time and do some research. Find out as much as you can about who is buying from you. With that information, you’ll be much better prepared to make the tweaks you need to maximise your sales.

Who are our competitors?

To have a firm grip on your business, you also need to have a keen understanding of your competition. In some cases, it might be obvious who your competitors are, but there are often some surprises hidden when you start to ask questions.

The best way to get a clear idea about who you’re competing with is to ask your customers and prospective customers. Asking about other solutions they had considered might help you identify exactly who you’re competing against.

Not only do you need to know who you’re competing with, but you also need to know what they are offering and how it is different from what you have. Going through the sales process with a competitor and trying out their solution can be really important. It can give you insights into the ways in which you are different and ways in which you might improve what you do.

It can be easy to just put your head down and focus on what you’re doing. But, if you ignore the competition, you’ll be missing out on opportunities to improve and may eventually end up losing out on revenue as well.

Why do customers choose us over competitors?

It’s really important to know what persuaded your customers to choose you over the competition. Customers will often make a decision for reasons that you didn’t expect. If a large number of your customers have the same reasoning, then it’s important to know what that is.

For instance, if your customers like a small feature that you added a long time ago, and you remove it, then you might not only have unhappy customers, but you’ll also lose future sales as well.

Once you understand what you have that the competitors don’t, you are well equipped to focus your messaging on those features and benefits.

If you don’t know or have just made an assumption about why your customers choose you, it’s time to do some research. Canvas your customers and ask them to tell you why they chose your company.

Where does our profit come from?

This might sound like an obvious thing to know. However, it’s surprising how many business owners don’t know where the real source of their profits is.

For instance, if you sell one key product, as well as some smaller add-ons or accessories. You need to be clear about which of those brings in the most profit. If the biggest profit comes from the add-ons, then you need a different sales pitch that pushes customers to make those extra purchases.

If you look at your numbers and are surprised about where your money is actually being made, it can be a sign that you need to make a change. It’s all about making the most of the resources you have to get the best outcome.

A great example of this is Groupon. Groupon was originally the ‘little brother’ to a website called The Point. Andrew Mason started Groupon as a side project. When it became clear, which was the profitable idea, he switched his focus. This is why you’ve heard of Groupon, but you’ve probably got no idea what The Point was.

What unique resources do we have access to?

The resources you have determine what you can do and where your business will go. So it’s important that you take the time to audit what you have and all the ways that these resources can be used.

If the pandemic has taught business owners anything, it’s to look at their resources in new ways. The diverse range of companies who started to make PPE and ventilators show that knowing what you have and what you can do with it can open up many new opportunities.

Keep in mind that resources are not just physical things. It is worth taking some time to do an audit of the skills your employees have. Not only will this allow you to ensure that you are making the best use of them all, but it can also reveal new ways to work and may give you access to new ideas.

The added bonus is that taking the time to get to know your employees can make them feel more valued, especially if you are looking for ways to use their skills.

What kinds of data do we have access to?

Data is a powerful business tool. No matter what you do, you will be generating and collecting data even if you don’t intend to. If you can analyse and parse that data, it can give your business insights, help you to support your customers, and guide your business decisions.

Before you can do any of that, you need to know what you have. Data comes in a lot of different forms and varieties. The most important type of data you need to know if you have is personally identifiable data. If you have anything like this, you will need to make sure that you are storing it in compliance with data privacy regulations.

It’s a good idea to go through all the places that you store any data and label them. Make a list of what you need and what you don’t. There is little point in keeping complex data that you will never use, especially if you have to keep it securely. Once you’ve pruned the useless data out it’s time to organise, store, and use what you’re left with.

How are we communicating our unique value to customers?

Once you are clear on your USP and your value proposition, it’s worth checking that you are sharing that information with your customers. There are a lot of different ways to go about doing that, but you need to make sure it’s explicit and consistent.

In situations where you have one clear, strong feature that makes you stand out a good way to communicate that to your customers is to use a brand promise. When you promise your customer something in this way, it shows that you understand what they want and you are going to deliver it.

Just make sure that you are able to keep any brand promises you make. You can be certain that it will be all over the internet in no time flat if you don’t.

In your messaging, you’ll want to make sure that anywhere you mention your USP you are doing so in a prominent position. This isn’t something that you want to leave your customers to find. It should be at the heart of your message because it’s what makes you stand out.

A good way to check if your message is correctly aligned is to show some customers your material. Then ask them what the most important message is. If they don’t identify your unique value offer, then you will need to do some redesigning.

How to turn a relocation into a rebranding opportunity?

Liquid Designers — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 09:01:11 +0000

BRANDING

How to Turn a Relocation Into a Rebranding Opportunity?

Relocating your business is an exciting time for everyone involved. Whether you are moving because of rapid growth, to explore new markets or to reach more talent, a business move can be much more than just a relocation.

Moving your business is an excellent marketing opportunity and can be the perfect reason for a much-needed rebrand. No matter the type of business you have, a rebrand can be an essential but difficult change, and when combined with relocating, it can be a real competitive advantage.

For many companies, their brand was created during the start-up stages. Over time, things can change dramatically, and the brand you formed in the early days may no longer fit your business. Perhaps you have expanded your product offering, changed your audience or adopted new business plans. Whatever has changed in your company; your initial branding might no longer be doing the job.

Rebranding is never an easy task, and it needs to be done carefully so as not to lose your existing reputation and customer base. Relocating your business is an excellent opportunity for rebranding, and there are a few things you can do to make sure it’s a success.

Table of contents

Embrace the blank slate

Moving your business means you have a blank slate to start again. It is a rare opportunity for a new beginning and to set out how you want your business to operate in its new location. Changing your office space or business location means you will need to update all your communications anyway.

This includes your website, social media, business cards, and any promotional items where your address is included. It is the perfect excuse to update marketing materials with a fresh brand look.

Relocating is an ideal time to redesign your logo, change your brand colours and much more. Not only are your premises a blank slate for your new branding, but all your business collateral needs to change anyway. Rebranding at this stage is a great way of emphasising a new beginning for your business and can help to get your customers and employees on board.

If you are moving to a new area, where there is potential for new customers and clients, then a rebrand and relocation is a good reason to open lines of communication. The same goes for existing customers; you can use this new move to reconnect with past clients and let them know of your next steps as a business.

For some companies, it is easy to get stuck in a rut even when moving premises. It can seem like the simple choice to keep branding and marketing the same and simply update your new address, but this can be a huge opportunity missed. It isn’t often that a business gets a completely blank slate to start again, and it is the perfect chance to get your branding and positioning up to date.

Make location part of your branding strategy

If you have a business that depends on its location, then a move can be a pretty big deal. Whether you are operating a shop, restaurant, café, or other business that customers physically visit, then making your location part of your branding strategy is essential.

When you move your business to a new location and decide to rebrand at the same time, then incorporating your location within your branding strategy can be worthwhile.

Targeting a local market isn’t always easy, especially if you are new to the area. Chances are your business will be up against competition that has been in the area for a long time, which already has solid foot traffic and local referrals.

As a new player in the field, incorporating location in your branding strategy is a great place to start. You can go as far as using your location in your business name or logo, but if you don’t want to commit to your location that strongly, you can incorporate it in subtler ways.

Using local SEO strategies to reach nearby customers is a great place to start. Keep your location at the forefront of your marketing communications, such as in your tagline, on your website home page, and on any marketing collateral that you produce. Social media is also a key component in a local rebranding strategy; you can use your channels to build awareness in your local area and share content that is relevant.

Research your new market or demographic

If you are relocating to a completely new area, then it is inevitable that your demographic and market is going to change as well. Your new branding strategy needs to reflect this new audience, so it is vital that you understand who they are.

Spend some time researching your new market and demographic and complete local market research. This should be one of your first tasks before rebranding because if you get it wrong, you could miss the mark completely.

Start by thinking about a few core questions about your business structure in its new location. A few important things to consider include;
How large is the geographic area your business will be serving?
How large is the local market in your new location?
How far will people be willing to travel to reach your new location?
How many competitors are there in the area?
What are your competitors’ unique selling points?

Once you can answer all of these questions, you will have a solid foundation for researching your local market. If you start researching too broadly, you can waste a lot of time and effort focusing on demographics and businesses that aren’t relevant to you.

After determining your local area and competitors, you can define who your ideal customer is. This is essential for rebranding, as your new branding strategy must resonate with this audience. Think carefully about who your ideal customer is, what they want from your business, and where they will be looking for your services. To determine your new market or demographic, think about;

What their pain points are?
What solutions might they have already tried?
What they liked and disliked about other solutions?
What is their average age and income level?
What values do they look for in a business?
What online platforms do they spend time on?

This information will help you create a rebranding strategy that is relevant to your new market and reach the right audience.

Evaluate positioning strategy (Including any new competitors)

As part of your research into new markets, it is essential to evaluate your new competitors and develop a solid strategy for your positioning. When you relocate your business, your positioning as a brand can also change significantly. What worked well for you in one place, might not be a success elsewhere, and that is why you need to evaluate your new positioning strategy.

Brand positioning is all about how you place yourself among your competitors and in the minds of your customers. It is your niche, and the reason customers should choose you over your competition. The idea behind a positioning strategy is to create a completely unique impression on your audience, making you stand out from the rest.

When you are relocating your business and also rebranding, look closely at any gaps in the market and evaluate how your new competitors are positioning themselves. From this information, you should be able to create your own positioning strategy and bear this in mind during your rebrand.

Your new brand will be positioned within the market whether you make it part of your branding strategy or not, so being proactive and developing it yourself is a good idea. This gives you the chance to get ahead and create an intelligent, forward-thinking approach to your brand’s position. It is crucial you don’t position yourself in the same way as an existing competitor, so understanding who they are and what they do is vital.

Optimise your product or service offerings

Rebranding is an excellent opportunity to look closely at your products and services and determine what is working for you and what isn’t. If you have recently introduced new products or services that differ from when you first created your brand, you might need rebrand to make these relevant. Or maybe you have been avoiding introducing new products because they haven’t fitted with your existing brand?

Relocating to a new area and a new customer base is also an excellent reason to optimise your offering. Perhaps what worked in your old location won’t be as popular in your new space, or your new premises might have more room for new products and services.

Look closely at your current offering and how well each is selling among your audience. Consider which products and services might no longer be working for you and if there are any new ones that could be worth introducing.

Changing your location, brand and product offering all at the same time can seem daunting, and it is important to approach this carefully so as not to lose your loyal customers. Be sure to keep your existing products and services that work well and are proving popular, and only make changes if they are going to be worthwhile for your new brand.

For some businesses, the products and services on offer might not need to change at all, but the way they are marketed might need adjusting.

Generate publicity via local newsletters and websites

If your business is moving to a completely new area, then one of the most important things you need to do is generate some publicity. You are about to embark on a new business adventure in a brand new place, and it is vital that you make sure your potential new customers know about it. Make the most of local channels, including newsletters and websites. These are often the best ways to reach a local audience and connect with your new customers. Think carefully about which newsletter and websites will fit with your new brand and be popular among your target audience.

Even if you aren’t moving far, and still keeping your business in the same general area, then be sure to communicate your new premises. These local channels are great for letting your existing customers, and potential new ones, know where they can find you. It can also be worthwhile partnering up with other local businesses to generate more publicity.

It isn’t all about your new location, either. When you are using your business move as a rebranding opportunity as well, then be sure to shout about the new face of your business. Generate publicity around your new branding and get the message out there that this is who you are now.

Show off your new logo, tag lines and branding messages at every opportunity you get. You want your local audience to recognise and know your brand.

Use sales and offers to your advantage

Everyone loves a bargain or a special offer, and what better way to celebrate your new location and rebrand than with a sale? Sales and offers are an excellent way to get new customers through the door and gain some momentum for your business.

If you have a brick and mortar location, then run special sales and discounts for customers that visit you in person in your new location. For online promotions, try using special offers to encourage new customers to try out your products and services.

Sales and offers are also the perfect way to announce your rebranding. You can use your rebranding materials to tie into your sales marketing activities and get your new look out into the world. Promote any sales and offers on your social media pages, as well as your website and in-store. It can also be a good idea to promote sales and offers to your existing email database and let them know about your new location and branding.

Incorporating your new business information alongside discounts and special offers is an easy way to let your audience know about your changes in a way they will pay attention to. A marketing campaign that simply informs your audience of your move and rebrand might be ignored or dismissed. But adding a sale or offer to the message will help you grab the attention of your audience.

Hold an opening or reopening event

One of the most effective ways of promoting your new business location is to host an event. If you have moved to an entirely new location and developed a new brand, then a grand opening is an excellent way of getting new potential customers through the door. If you haven’t moved too far, then a reopening and inviting in existing customers as well as new is good for raising brand awareness.

Hosting a fun event that customers will remember is an effective way of boosting your new brand and getting into the minds of customers. It is also an excellent way of showing off your new location and all the hard work that has gone into it. Not only that but when your audience are in your business and engaging with your brand, it is an excellent opportunity to showcase your products and services.

An opening event is also an excellent opportunity for marketing and promotions, giving you something to shout about on social media and in the local press. Share your rebrand and your new location with current and potential customers, new business neighbours, and local journalists. When you host a successful event, your brand will stick firmly in the minds of all those who attended.

Is it the right time to rebrand? | The signs to look for

Liquid Designers — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 07:22:11 +0000

BRANDING | POSTED ON 10.08.2020

Is it the right time to rebrand? | The signs to look for

No matter how iconic the brand, there always comes the point when you need to rebrand. Milestones can be a good opportunity to rebrand your business. However, there is no benefit to rebranding every year. Here are a few of the main signs that indicate you might want to plan a rebranding campaign as well as everything you need to know about rebranding.

Table of contents

What does rebranding involve?

The aim of rebranding is to change the image of your company. The main goal is to create a new identity that makes your brand stand out and resonate with your customers. Achieving this can be done in a number of different ways.

If you are making a big change and pivoting your company, then you might want to consider a new name. This can be helpful if you are trying to show that your brand has evolved, attract a new audience or reflect a more contemporary feel. Changing your name doesn’t mean you have to give up all the brand recognition you already have. However, it is something that should be done with care and consideration.

A less drastic change you can take when doing a rebrand is to change your logos and slogans. Again you can do this as minimally or radically as you desire. A small change, like picking a different font, can make a subtle difference to your image. For example, changing from a handwritten font to a serif font can be all it takes to shift your brand from an informal one to a trustworthy one.

Your style guidelines for all of your communication will need to be considered as well, during a rebrand. You may need to find a new voice to match the new image of your company. This is especially true if you are aiming to reconnect with your customers.

In order to know the scope and detail of your rebranding changes, you will need to do a lot of research and analysis. It may involve talking to your customers, doing a survey and talking to your employees. You need to really understand your internal and external brand – your industry, competitors, audience, values, personality, positioning, message as well as a clear direction and goal. You need to identify what you are trying to achieve. Also, think about exactly who you are, who you are trying to connect with and their perceptions and needs.

Finally, you need to consider your marketing, social media, website and how all the aspects of your new brand will work together to communicate your unique brand story and resonate with your ideal audience.

How often should I rebrand my business?

On average, a business rebrands somewhere between every 7 and 10 years. You can’t expect styling and communication trends to last any longer. Beyond that time, the world will have moved on significantly, and your brand will start to look stale. This is true even for brands that are aiming to look traditional or classic.

There are situations when you should rebrand in a shorter time frame. If you make a big change to your company, it can be necessary to rebrand sooner than you planned.

There is no fixed schedule for rebranding. Ideally, it should be as a reaction to the market and to your customer.

Your brand style and visual identity is outdated

As mentioned styles change. What looks fresh and modern now will look dated in 10 years. Sometimes it doesn’t even take that long for styles to shift dramatically. Even if on the surface, your branding fits with current trends, it can feel stale to your customers.
With just a little bit of market research, you can find out how people perceive your company. It can be worth undertaking this every now and then to identify when the mood is starting to shift. This can signal that it’s time to begin thinking about a rebrand to give your company an updated look and feel.

View the full rebranding case study for CSIA

Customer preferences have changed

The most important consideration when designing and communicating your brand, is what appeals to your customers. Your brand will be targeting a very specific group of people. Your brand needs to keep up with their preferences, regardless of what else is going on in the world.

Solicit feedback from your customers about their preferences and check to see how well you align with their desires and needs. If you’re sliding further away from their ideal image, then it’s time to put yourself back in their field of vision.

When the only thing that has changed is the preferences of your customers, you may be able to make minimal changes to reap large rewards.

The level of competition in the market increases

If your market place suddenly becomes filled with competitors, or a savvy new competitor enters the market, then you may no longer stand out or be as relevant to your audience. Your competitors may be appealing to your market in a clearer and more exciting way. They may be offering new technology, a new streamlined service or added value. You might find that you’re starting to lose market share.

Whenever the marketplace changes, you need to take steps to ensure that your brand maintains a unique identity that communicates to your audience. The more you understand and keep in touch with your audience, the more you can keep your brand relevant. Over time, the needs of your customers change so it’s important to keep up to date with what they want.

People’s needs change as other products and services enter the market and offer something unique or better. It’s no good looking like ‘a’ company in the sector. You need to look like the ‘the company for x, y & z’ in your sector. Understand what you stand for as a brand and communicate how you can help people. Rebranding helps a business connect with their customers to build stronger and longer term relationships.

You’ve lost control of the brand image

There are lots of ways your brand can signify something different than you intend it to. Your colour scheme might have been used in a prominent and viral video for something you don’t want to be associated with. Perhaps your brand has become the target of an hilarious but not complementary meme. Alternatively, it could be that your brand has just developed a less than favourable reputation over time.

Whatever the reason is that you’ve lost control of your brand, you need to try and take it back. Shifting your colours can be all it takes to distance yourself from another group or organisation.

In the case of a social media backlash, you have few options. You can try to have a sense of humour about the situation and move on gracefully. You can just try to weather the storm, and then quietly make some changes to your appearance. Just don’t try to fight it too hard, because that will just summon the trolls.

In the case of a bad reputation, you may need to do a whole overhaul and really look at what’s behind your bad reputation. If you just change your outward appearance but make no substantive changes, you’re quickly just going to end up back where you started.

Customers aren’t recognising your value proposition

Your brand does a lot of things for you. It should signal to your customer exactly what makes you different from your competition. If your customers are not able to easily discern what you are offering that goes above, and beyond your competition, then you have a problem.

Your brand should make your market position clear. You might personally favour a clean and simple brand style, but with the wrong choice of colour, for instance, yellow or orange, this might be signalling to your customers that you’re a youthful brand and tailored to a younger market. If this doesn’t align with your actual identity, then you’ll attract the wrong customers and the ones who find you, likely won’t stay.

Maybe the voice you are using for your communication also appeals to a younger market and doesn’t resonate with your more mature audience. Maybe the humour takes away from the seriousness or trust of the brand.

On the other hand, if your branding is in rich blues and purples and communicates the experience of the company, the quality materials and the detailed process, then your customers will likely view you as a premium option.

A preponderance of green, earthy tones and messages from a scientist and a blog with knowledgable and relevant topics, can be an indicator that you have a trusted, ecological or environmental aspect of your offer.

The colours you choose, the voice, images and depth of information can communicate so much about your company, so you need to really consider what the message is that you want your customers to hear. How do you want your brand perceived? How can your brand become aligned with the values of the business? Then look at your brand to identify how you can change it to send the message your customers are currently missing.

View the full rebranding case study for CNG

Innovation has changed the marketplace

New technology and ideas can have a drastic impact on your company. It could even threaten the very existence of your business. If this happens and your company pivots and evolves then your brand needs to do the same.

For instance, if your sector takes a step towards digitisation or virtualisation, then your old branding may not be communicating innovation or forward thinking ideas and technology. Logos and colours that work well printed on paper as letterheads may not read on a computer or mobile screen. You now need to think how your logo and brand will be represented online across your website and all the social media platforms and online marketing.

Understand where your customers are now searching for your product or service. Are potential customers or clients viewing your website? If they are, remember this is now your shopfront and customers quickly work out whether they want to buy from you or not. It is very easy for them to click off your site and try another supplier if you don’t hold their interest or communicate what they need. People often now do their research online before they purchase so it’s important that your brand is representing your business correctly.

If you know that change is coming, then you should be proactive with keeping your brand aligned with where your business is going. You can’t just hope that your current choices will work and remain relevant.

It’s better to get ahead of changes than have to deal with the fallout when you start losing relevancy and market share. Fixing things in a hurry is not an effective business strategy for any aspect of a business. So why would you take this approach to marketing?

Targeting a new segment or demographic

Your brand should be targeted very specifically at a type of customer and demographic. If you are changing your target, or it has become clear that your product is actually appealing to a completely different consumer than you thought then this is the time to rebrand.

If you are doing a complete shift of your target customer, then you will probably be best served by completely overhauling your brand. You can relaunch yourself aimed solely at this new demographic. After all, most 20-25-year-olds aren’t going to be interested in the same things as grandparents and retired individuals.

If you are expanding your target audience, then this will need to be done with more care. When rebranding in order to add new demographics, you want to avoid alienating your existing customer base as you hunt for new customers.

That said, there will always be some push back and some negativity when you make a change. An initial negative reaction is not necessarily a bad thing. It can generate interest and drive more traffic. So, when you are making a change to expand your customer base, do be prepared for some push back from the existing customers.

You can cushion yourself against the pushback by planning for it. It helps to flag things you are doing for your existing customers as well as appealing to your new ones.

Entering a new market

Your brand is a representation of who you are and what you have to offer. It should be optimised for the marketplace you exist in. So, if you are looking to move into a new market, you will need to take a long hard look at how well your existing branding will work in this new marketplace.

There may be some features you can keep or adapt. It is unlikely though that you will be able to make a smooth and effective transition to a new market without undertaking at least some level of rebranding.

Another large consideration when entering a new market is that you will need to carve out a piece of the market. You need to make it clear that you fit into the niche you are moving into, and you will also need to make it clear how you stand out from the existing options. As the new proposition, your branding will need to be on point to attract attention and to move customers who have already made a decision.

Changing your business structure

Suppose you are going through a merger, acquisition or demerger then you may have to consider rebranding. There can be legal requirements associated with some of these situations which will necessitate a change in branding.

Rebranding when your company is going through a big change can be an important way to signal what is happening to the rest of the world. Done right, it can be used as a launchpad to grow and enhance your business.

If you are rebranding as a legal requirement, then you may want to find a way to thread some of your old identity through your new one. This can allow you to carry some of the positive reputation you have built with you into the new business structure.

Having a good understanding of why you need to rebrand can help you to do it effectively. Before you embark on rebranding your company I urge you to fully consider the reasons for your change and what you hope to achieve as a result. It is only with this mindset that you will be able to get the benefits of rebranding without stumbling into a rebranding fail. There are plenty of examples of companies who have got it wrong and had to deal with the consequences.

Capturing your brand’s essence and how it will help your business succeed

Liquid Designers — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 01:02:42 +0000

BRANDING | POSTED ON 10.08.2020

Capturing your brand’s essence and how it will help your business succeed

Developing a brand is no easy task, but it is essential for a successful business to thrive. Whether you have recently launched a new business or have an existing brand that is no longer resonating with your audience, you might be looking into updating your brand message.

Brands are often a confusing concept, which are daunting to create and grow. All of us can recognise and understand the importance that a brand has, but the process of creating a brand is often not as clear. Most business owners struggle with knowing where to start when it comes to creating a brand.

There are no defined steps or universally accepted processes for building a brand, and it can be completely different for every business.

For most businesses, the best place to start is with your brand essence. It can help to think of it as the base for your overall brand development. A brand essence can be used as a foundation to build upon over time, and all brand elements are created and developed from it. These brand elements include taglines, logos, brand voice and brand personality, and all of them will be easier to create once a brand essence has been defined.

If you are wondering what a brand essence is, how it can help your business and how to put one into practice, then read on for our expert guide.

Table of contents

What is a brand essence?

Competition is fierce among businesses these days, and that means that companies have to differentiate themselves from the rest. It isn’t enough to just have the most effective products or best prices in order to stand out from the competition. Your business needs to create the right feeling among your customers and have personal, emotional campaigns that really reach your audience.

The best way to achieve this is through the brand essence, which is the core identity of your business. It is what sets you apart from your competitors and makes your business more relatable to customers.

The brand essence is the soul of your brand. Usually, it is just a few words that defines the fundamental nature of your business. Just like with all elements of a brand, the essence needs to be human and emotive. A brand essence is something that must be felt by your audience. Not only that, but a brand essence will help a brand stay succinct and authentic.

It is much easier to build a larger brand when you have a solid and clear brand essence to start with. To help you understand what a brand essence means, think about the following companies and their brand essence;

Apple: Think Different
Walt Disney World: Magical
Volvo: Safety
Hallmark: Caring Shared
Airbnb: Belonging

All of these strong brands have used their brand essence as a decision-making tool for every aspect of their business. This is exactly how a successful brand essence should be used. It will resonate across all departments of the organisation, not just in marketing campaigns. Your brand essence should be the driving force behind everything your business does.

What is a unique selling proposition (USP)?

A brand essence is sometimes confused with a unique selling proposition or USP, but it is important to understand the difference. A USP refers to any aspect or feature of an object or service, which makes it different from competitors. It highlights the unique benefits that customers will get if they invest in your product over another alternative.

A unique selling proposition is essentially how you would answer the question “what makes your product better than your competitors?”. USPs can be different between different products that your business sells, so you might not just have one USP for your entire company.

These unique selling propositions are used as part of your brand essence. The brand essence for your business is made up of your business goals, your USPs and your core values. The essence gives the USP some depth and goes beyond product features and pricing.

For example, Michelin tyres brand essence might be safety, and their goal is to be the safest tyres on the market. The USP for these tyres could be a combination of the tread pattern and reinforced mesh which creates advanced grip. The majority of customers won’t care about the specific features and aspects that make the tyres safe; they just care that they will be safe on the road.

How does a brand essence help my business?

Creating a brand essence isn’t always an easy task. Putting everything your brand stands for into a few words is often challenging, but very worthwhile. Having a brand essence means that it is easier for both customers and shareholders to see what you are all about.

A good brand essence shows who your business is, what your aims for it are, and what you are doing to stay authentic. Companies with a strong brand will use their brand essence as part of their decision-making process. By doing this, you can create stronger connections with your audience. Here are just a few of the ways a brand essence can help your business;

Build loyalty and commitment

Customers today are more connected than ever. With technology meaning we are continuously connected; customers often have higher expectations than ever before. Price wars and product gimmicks no longer give your business the power to grow. Instead, companies need to build real connections with their audience.

A solid brand essence is what will inspire customers to choose you. When you have a good essence for your brand, customers will start to grow feelings of loyalty and commitment towards it.

Improve marketing messages

Having a brand essence means that you know exactly what is driving your company and what sets you apart from the rest. This can help you to build stronger advertising and marketing campaigns. It is vital that you connect with customers on an emotional level, and your brand essence can help you do exactly that.

Not only that, but brand essence can help you to create campaigns that will help your organisation grow its brand. For example, if your brand essence is ‘modern’, you could use the most up to date technologies within your marketing.

Maintain consistency

Having a defined brand essence can help every aspect of your business to stay consistent. Within your brand manifesto, you could have a brand promise, mission statements, USPs and more. Your brand essence helps keep everything in line and maintain a consistent identity.

Once you know the elements that make up the soul of your business, you can make cohesive decisions easily. If you are ever not sure about a new product or strategy, your brand essence can help direct you.

How do I figure out my brand’s essence?

Although a brand essence is relatively simple, actually defining one for your business isn’t easy. A successful brand essence will be a balance between the qualities your business already has and the elements that you aspire to have in the future.

Figuring out your unique brand essence takes time and input from various individuals. It is often best to begin by discussing your business guidelines with people from both inside and outside the company. These stakeholders will provide vital insights into how the world currently perceives your brand. In addition to stakeholders, branding experts are great for helping you build a strategy for your business.

Once you know the best people to help figure out your brand essence, there are a few ways you can get started;

Remember humble beginnings

Some businesses have created their brand essence before launching and use it as part of their brand development strategy. For others, creating a website and designing a logo come first, and brand essence gets forgotten. No matter which way round you are doing things for your business, the best place to start when figuring out your brand essence is the beginning.

Think about where your company started and what was the motivation behind it.

Think about perceptions

How other people perceive your business is vital when finding your brand essence. Ask yourself how you would describe your business, and how others would describe it too. These things often don’t go hand in hand, but how others see you is often more important than your own perceptions. Try not to let customers and competitors define your business but take their views into consideration.

Find what makes you different

Your brand essence will refine and define what makes you stand out from your competitors. When figuring out what your essence is, it is vital to look at everything that you can do that your competition can’t. Once you have identified the things that make you different, think about why those differences are important.

How can I express my brand essence?

Once you know what your brand essence is, the next step is to make sure everyone else knows it too. Expressing your brand essence is one of the most important things your company can do. It will define you and grow your identity, building customer loyalty and relatability.

Brand essence goes much further than just your marketing messages; it needs to be expressed in every aspect of the business. Every time you make a business decision, start a new campaign or expand your product offering, make sure you are infusing your brand essence.

Customers are presented with thousands of marketing messages and advertisements every single day. By expressing and reinforcing your brand essence in everything you do, you will be able to connect with your audience. It will help existing customers remember who you are and encourage new customers to emotionally connect with your business.

To successfully express your brand essence, it must be at the forefront of your mind and in everything that you do.

Consistency is key when it comes to expressing and building your brand essence. It should be one of the defining factors of your business, and what makes you stand out from the crowd. To achieve this, it should be expressed in everything that your business says and does.

No matter if you are investing in a new advertising campaign, posting on social media or refining your tone of voice, you need to keep your brand essence in mind.

What is the difference between a brand statement and mission statement?

Many business owners mistake a brand statement for being the same as a mission statement, but in fact, they are two different things. This confusion is justified because both statements are about what your business does; however, their purpose and foundations are different.

A brand statement is externally focused. It is designed to resonate with your audience and hold your business accountable for what it stands for. A mission statement, on the other hand, describes your company from an internal point of view. It is often used to motivate and inspire employees.

Your brand statement is about what you do as a company, how you present yourself to your audience and how your customers feel about you. It encompasses your brand essence and emotionally connects with your customers. Your mission statement emotionally connects employees to the business.

A good mission statement will be a few short sentences that cover the purpose behind your company. It is important not to confuse the two, as it can cause mixed messaging and inconsistent communications which may impact your brand.

How can I put my brand essence into practice?

Having a brand essence is one thing, but it doesn’t mean anything until it has been put into practice. Your brand essence should reflect the purpose behind your business and be behind everything you do. For a brand essence to be successful, everyone in the business needs to know it and use it.

Every member of staff, shareholder and business partner needs to understand, and be passionate about, your brand essence. Every decision that is made in the business, should be made with your brand essence in mind.

Once you know your brand essence, your brand elements can be created to reflect this. Brand elements include your website, your logo and your brand voice. All of these things need to let your brand personality shine through. A good way to start getting your brand essence across is to tell your business story. Let your customers know exactly who you are and what you stand for. Tell your brand story and let people know why they should care about you and your business.

Can I change my brand essence?

Once you have a brand essence in place, changing it is a real challenge. It will be set in people’s minds, and that isn’t an easy thing to adapt. Various aspects of your brand elements can change, such as your website and logo design; however, the essence itself should be timeless.

If you are considering changing your brand because you are in the mood for something new, it can be potentially harmful to your business. However, if your brand essence is very outdated and no longer reflects your business values, then a change might be necessary.

Changing your brand essence isn’t a simple thing, and it will take time and care to do it right. Because your brand essence is in the minds of your customers and audience, you need to gradually change their perceptions of you. It can be difficult to rebuild relationships with consumers when you make major changes to your brand.

Don’t do everything all at once and try to ease your audience into the change. Adapt your logo, your website and even your company name if you need to but plan your rebranding strategy carefully. Make sure your new brand essence is defined and ready to go before you begin making any changes.

Branding Archives – Liquid Creativity

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How To Create A Memorable Brand Logo: Tips And Tricks

Designing a brand logo that stands out

Memorable logo design: What makes a great brand logo?

The psychology of logo design

What should I consider when choosing colours for my brand logo?

What role does typography play in a brand logo?

How to create a memorable logo

Finalising your brand logo

Common mistakes in logo design

Logo design: How to get it right

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Need help creating your brand identity?

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Mistake 1: Choosing a generic name

What is a generic brand name?

How to avoid choosing a generic brand name.

Examples of unique brand names.

Mistake 2: Making it too complicated

What is a complicated brand name?

How to avoid choosing a complicated brand name.

Examples of uncomplicated brand names.

Mistake 3: Being too trendy

What is a trendy brand name?

How to avoid choosing a trendy brand name.

Examples of brand names that defy trends.

Mistake 4: Ignoring cultural connotations

What are cultural connotations in brand naming?

How to avoid choosing a culturally inappropriate brand name.

Examples of culturally appropriate brand names.

Mistake 5: Forgetting to do your research

Why is research important in brand naming?

How to use research when choosing your brand name.

Examples of research tools for brand naming.

Mistake 6: Not considering SEO

What is SEO, and why is it important in brand naming?

How to incorporate SEO into brand naming.

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Mistake 7: Failing to trademark your name

What is a trademark?

What happens if you don’t trademark your brand name?

How to get it right.

Mistake 8: Being too narrow

What is a narrow brand name?

How to avoid choosing a narrow brand name.

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Mistake 9: Not testing your name

Why you must test your brand name.

How to test your brand name.

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Mistake 10: Choosing A name that is hard to pronounce

Why you should avoid hard-to-pronounce brand names.

How to avoid a hard-to-pronounce brand name.

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Brand Naming: How to get it right

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Need help creating your brand identity?

Need help creating your brand identity?

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How To Create A Successful Brand Identity: A Step-By-Step Guide

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What is brand identity?

Brand identity process

1. Determine your brand’s purpose

2. Define your target audience

3. Research your competitors

4. Create a personality for your brand

5. Write a brand positioning statement

6. Choose a name and tagline

7. Establish your visual identity

8. Create brand messaging

9. Put your brand identity into action

10. Monitor and refine your brand identity