Branding & Identity

Despite the deceptively simple task of branding to the layperson, large amounts of marketing intellect contribute to the most successful branding campaigns. Nike spent millions to develop their famous three-word tagline "Just do it", and Aflac became MORE popular as a company for its seemingly irrelevant "GetQuack.com" domain name.  A strong brand identity will seem like a "no-brainer" in the end and FEEL like it was something any one of us could have come up with.  Therein lies the brilliance.

Its commonly known how important first impressions can be, so it’s critical that you make your company's first impression (website, Facebook page, logo, etc.) a positive and lasting one. Your brand identity is essentially who you are, and what you offer. It reveals your values, strengths and what you and your business stand for. It’s the face of your business, so it’s VERY important you get it right.

So what are the steps to establishing this all-important component of YOUR business? We have summarized our own Branding & Identity process in the following 6 Steps:

Step 1 - Just WHO are you?
- How would you describe your business, products, and services?
- How long have you been in business?
- Who are your competitors?
- What makes you better than them?

Step 2 - Who are you trying to attract?
- Who is your target audience for the brand and message?
- Who are your customers?
- Do you want to go after NEW customers or focused on established ones?
- What are your sources for advertising?

Step 3 - Lets make some decisions
- What are the best keywords / phrases that describe your company?
- What do you want to accomplish with the new / updated brand?
- How do you want customers to perceive you?

Step 4 - Lets create some initial designs and mockups
- Are there specific elements you want in the logo / brand?
- What about style, typography, color scheme, etc.?
- Are there any logos you've seen that you like or dislike?

Step 5 - Now lets distribute and test this new look in a controlled manner
- Where is the logo / brand primarily going to appear?
- Are there any production restrictions applicable? (i.e. size, quality, etc.)

Step 6 - What is your ultimate cost / budget for the branding project?
- Any budget constraints?
- What is most important to you... speed, quality, or cost?
- What is your timeframe for delivery?
- Do you want an UNLIMITED number of revisions during the project?
- Do you need any other graphic services? (i.e. biz card, letterhead, envelopes, etc.)