A well-branded organization is thoughtful about their personality and their visual appearance when they’re considering who their target audience is. Marketing with a relatable tone of voice and design preferences that speak to a group of people go a long way in securing loyalty to your brand. It only makes sense that people like to do business with people they can relate to, so naturally, it’s important to look and sound the part. Great branding connects people who otherwise may never interact and helps form lifetime loyalty. Let’s take a look at some basic components that can help your brand engage more effectively.
Brand Personality
Think of your organization as a tribe of people. What is your culture like? What values are important to you? What is your main reason for doing what you do? Now think about the people you want to attract that need what you have to offer. What do they like to do? What are their tastes? What is their age group or occupational level? Developing these details seem a bit daunting at first but, if you take the time, you can create a mental picture of your ideal customer that will help guide all of your marketing efforts.
Brand Identity
Once you’ve built a persona, designing your brand identity is the next step. Your brand identity should be a visual interpretation of your brand personality. It should be a reflection of how you want to be perceived and the reaction you want your customer to have as they make a decision to engage with your brand. Your brand identity is like your wardrobe and should contain essential assets to make it complete. This includes your logo, a color palette, fonts and graphic and/or photography style that is unique to your organization. The goal is to stand out, but also to stay fresh and top-of-mind.
Brand Marketing
Now that your look is defined, it’s time to put everything in motion with a marketing plan that presents your brand to your audience in a way they find most appealing. Marketing plans can take on many shapes and sizes, but a few things are almost always necessary to have in your toolbox. These items include, but are not limited to, messaging, print collateral, a website, social media presence or even the look and feel of your work or retail environment. Your marketing plan should speak with authority and demonstrate your credentials. After all—you’re the expert.
Take the Test
If you aren’t sure where your brand stands, download and complete our short Brand Checklist. We’ll walk you through a few questions and give you an opportunity to assess your brand’s strengths and weaknesses. How are you doing? Is your organization well-branded or one that’s just, well… (you get the picture).
