Let’s talk about your brand identity!
As a business owner, you want to create a brand people will recognize, connect with, and ultimately want to patronize, right?
But where do you begin?
In this blog post, we’ll share three guidelines to keep in mind as you create your brand identity. Follow these and you’ll be well on your way to a strong brand that your dream clients can’t forget.
Table of Contents
1. Start Simple
If you’re just getting started with your brand design, keep it simple– from typeface to color palette.
Typeface
Opt for a simple type treatment over something more heavily designed. We’ve seen a lot of new business owners think they need something noteworthy in order to stand out. But the more complicated your design, the more you risk your brand dating quickly.
Think back to the 2016ish years when peonies and millennial pink reigned. So many creatives opted for logos that incorporated those elements, and several years later their brands now feel out of touch.
Take note of your favorite brands, Anthropologie, J. Crew, Tiffany & Co., Quince, and Sezane. These brands all have simple typefaces.
Simplicity lends itself to professional appeal and refined luxury.
A great starting point for your brand font is A Beginners Guide to Choosing Typography. This will give you a foundation for knowing what to look for in your font and logo design.
We also created a free font guide for you, the Ultimate Canva Font Pairing Guide. Use this guide to find inspiration for your brand.
Related: How to Choose + License Typefaces with Jen Wagner
Color Palette
Color is one of the most important elements of your brand identity. Different colors evoke different emotions and feelings. Blue is associated with feelings of peace and serenity. Yellow and orange are energizing. Green feels fresh and organic.
Like typeface, it’s important to choose a simple and cohesive color palette. Note that simple does not necessarily mean neutral.
If you’ve never generated a color palette for your brand, this video walks you through the exact process we use for the brands we create.
We also recorded a podcast episode with one of our designers showing you how to choose the perfect colors for your brand. Listen to the episode here: How to Choose the Perfect Colors for Your Brand.
Related: 17 Trending Color Palettes
Story
Strong and memorable brand identities often have less to do with the font or color palette, and more to do with how those elements are incorporated into the full brand story.
If you look at most strong brands, you’ll find they know exactly who their client is and have built everything around that client profile.
Their colors, font choices, imagery, language, etc. meld consistently across platforms, working together to create a recognizable brand.
If you want to be strong and memorable, focus on your brand story.
This is why it’s so important to start simple. A simple brand gives you more room to grow and evolve as you develop your story.
Related: How Specialization Leads to Business Success
We created a branding questionnaire to walk you through the story process. It also includes a mood board activity. This may be helpful to complete now and then repeat each time your business makes a big shift.
Download your free Branding Questionnaire
2. Prioritize Identity Clarity
If you want your brand to be strong and memorable, you also must have a clear identity and communicate it seamlessly.
Ask yourself these two questions:
Are you good at what you do?
Can you do it for other people?
1. Are you good at what you do?
When your dream client lands on your website, it must be clear what you do and where you do it.
Are you a wedding photographer only serving a local market? List that and your location at the top of your site.
Are you an interior designer who specializes in a specific niche? State it bold and clear.
Your website should also be filled with examples of your work. Each service or product you provide should have its own page on your website. And on each of those pages, you should explain the service and show examples of your work for that service.
2. Can you do it for other people?
The second question you need to answer is whether you can replicate your results for others. You need to prove that you’re good at what you do.
You can do this through testimonials, press logos, and blog content. Look for ways to showcase your portfolio to help prospective clients visualize what you provide.
Your website should load quickly, be easy to navigate, and lead people to the next step.
Related: How to Increase Your Website’s Conversion Rate
3. Communicate Consistently
A brand is so much more than a logo. It’s everything from the way you present yourself and your work to the promptness of your replies and the ease of your booking process.
The more friction you build between yourself and the customer, the less likely they are to enjoy the process and the less likely they are to refer you.
Building a strong brand means building clear, professional client processes.
It’s much more challenging to repair a broken relationship. Be proactive and engaging, providing clear communication to your clients.
Related: How to Create a Discovery Call Process
In our opinion, it’s hard to overcommunicate.
Pay attention to the details, and keep in mind that every touch point ties back to your brand.
Depending on your industry and current process, you may want to explore the following:
- Album Sales Guide
- Client Communication Guide
- Pricing Guide
- Engagement Guide
- Wedding Guide
- Portrait Session Guide
Remember: Consistency builds trust.
Stay consistent in all processes. By doing this, you signal to your audience that they can depend on you for the same quality every time they visit you.
In other words, your brand is strong and memorable.
Related: How to Elevate Your Brand
Wrap Up
Building a strong and memorable brand identity takes intentionality.
With so many layers to a brand, it’s best to start with a simple design, solidify who you are and who you serve, and consistently provide the very best to your clients.
Follow these guidelines, and you’ll be well on your way to a brand that your dream clients can’t stop talking about. Want more tips and resources like these? Join our private mailing list.
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