Do you need to brand your marketing materials, but don't really know where to start, or what branding means? Here, I explain the basics and how to apply it to your business.
Who do you want to be
Your brand is so much more than just a logo – it’s the way you come across in every single touchpoint your customers have with you. It’s your company’s personality.
You need to think about how you want to be perceived by your customers. When you are choosing branding assets such as fonts and colours, think about the impression this gives and use them accordingly!
For example, you may want to use modern styles and fonts for a new startup or technology company, whereas a traditional serif typeface may be more appropriate for a firm of solicitors.
Think about colours too – do you want a calming influence over your audience so that they feel safe and secure (blues), or are you wanting a bold, powerful feeling of action and urgency? (reds). Really think about the feelings that come up when you look at certain brands, colours and fonts. Remember; emotion plays a huge part in the buying process.
Roll it out, keep it consistent!
Once you’ve decided on your logo, fonts and colours, it’s time to brand everything up. For most businesses, a huge part of this are their social media posts and interactions. The biggest tip to take away here is to make sure everything is consistent.
This means using your brand fonts on every post, every time, keeping the colours in line with your brand palette. Every time you post, your audience should be able to recognise that it has come from your brand.
It’s no problem to use tools such as Canva to help you create your social media posts; you don’t need to be a designer. You just need to remember to check whether it feels ‘on brand’. Check the fonts, check the colours. Maybe you have some imagery that you usually use. Whatever it is, make sure the overall feel is the same for the greatest brand recognition.
Remember your tone of voice
When we talk about consistency, this also applies to your tone of voice. The way you speak to your customers, both in printed literature and online needs to be consistent with the brand personality you have built up, so always read it back and double check this. Don’t try and copy big brands; customers are looking for authenticity and something that resonates with how they are feeling, so create your own style.
Keep on going!
Building up a brand takes time. You can carry on building up that brand recognition with regular marketing materials and social posts. Become the brand guardian for your business and you’ll always have a handle on what fits and what doesn’t. If in doubt, ask yourself whether people would know it was your social post / flyer / poster if you took your logo out?
If you're looking for help with your branding or are in need of a refresh of your marketing materials, get in touch via the contact page here.
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