Harness the power of your brand by building a distinct identity with a personality that genuinely connects with your audience.
You can’t just toss some seeds into the soil and expect them to become a beautiful, fruit-bearing plant if you don’t nurture it.
Your brand is a lot like that plant. If you don’t pay attention to it, water it, give it sunlight now and then, and move it to a bigger pot as it grows, you’ll end up killing it.
Pretty plants attract new customers, and tasty fruit keeps them coming back for more. Don’t let your plant, or your brand identity, die from neglect.
Here’s a 6-step guide to creating your own unique brand character that best fits your business.
1. Understand Your Audience
There’s an argument to be made that the first step is figuring out who you are before understanding your audience. The downside is that you risk building a brand identity that clashes with your audience.
Your target market is your potential customers, and you should study their likes and dislikes, along with what they’re looking for in your product, before developing your identity. Understanding this lets you shape your brand’s character so it connects strongly with them.
You wouldn’t target CEOs or business owners the same way you’d target university students, which is why it’s essential to learn what your audience wants from your product and build a brand that speaks to them.
This is also a good opportunity to study your competitors. If you can identify some of their winning branding strategies, you’ll get a better sense of what works and what doesn’t. The same goes for competitors who aren’t performing well.
2. Create a Voice and Personality
Think of your brand as a person and give it a personality with a specific tone of voice. Is it:
– Funny
– Serious
– Sarcastic
– Dry-witted
– Knowledgeable
You can also mix and match to create a tone for your brand identity that connects with your audience and represents your business.
If you get stuck trying to develop a voice, make a list of words that describe your business. Pick a few of the most important ones and imagine someone telling you they represent all of them. How do you picture this person? Really go into detail. Are they a man or a woman? Young or old? Do they have a mustache? Once you can visualize your brand as a person, it becomes much easier to create a voice for them.
3. Develop a Logo and Color Scheme
Your logo is one of the most visually recognizable pieces of your brand’s identity. It brings your brand to life with a strong visual representation that complements the vibe set by your tone of voice. Designing a logo can be tricky and costly, but thanks to a range of logo maker software out there, it’s easier to nail down the key elements of a logo.
Symbols — Using an icon or symbol can help set your brand apart from the competition and give it life. Stay away from abstract shapes that don’t mean anything. Instead, use imagery that reflects your brand’s product and identity. Don’t use a playful icon if you’re a serious company.
Colors — Choose a color scheme that matches your brand’s character and doesn’t clash with it. A law firm isn’t likely to use pink, since it’s a playful color. Black is more professional and looks serious.
Keep in mind you’ll also be using your brand colors across all of your marketing. Every email, social media post, or publication ad will carry your brand’s colors.
Fonts — Whatever you do, don’t overlook picking a font that’s distinctive and reflects who you are. Companies can use expressive fonts to show off their personality. You should also use your font consistently, especially if your logo doesn’t include a symbol.
Further reading: How to Design a Logo (Even if You’re Not a Designer).
4. Document Everything
Record all of your branding decisions in a brand guide that you can send to everyone to follow. If you’re the only one responsible for creating brand assets, this matters less. But if not, it will ensure everyone can consistently create brand assets that strictly follow your brand’s chosen voice and identity, keeping it consistent.
5. Don’t Be a Copycat
If your biggest competitors have a strong brand of their own, don’t copy it. Your audience will likely be able to tell what you’re doing, and it will reflect poorly on you. Instead, recognize what’s working for them and put your own spin on it to help your brand stand out more.
6. Analyze and Stay Consistent
If you’re not tracking your performance, you won’t know what’s working and what isn’t. Tools like Google Analytics, customer surveys, and social media comments all help you understand how your brand is doing. Pay attention to positive outcomes and figure out what helped make them a success.
If you’re not connecting with anyone, or if your brand isn’t memorable, you can still fix it. But you won’t be able to adjust or implement new strategies if you’re not evaluating the ones you already have.
Distinctive fonts, colors, tone of voice, and a logo are all part of the recipe for creating a unique brand character that your audience will recognize and connect with.
