5 must-know rules for building your brand
Following on from last month’s article about Logo Animation, we thought we’d take a closer look at the importance of branding and logos and why they are such a valuable part of developing your company’s Intellectual Property. Of course, there’s more to creating and promoting a brand than making a pretty logo and quirky tagline. To follow are 5 rules to help you promote, build and maintain your brand.
1. Be Specific
Know what your brand stands for and know what your brand promises. Your brand promises should be precise, believable and attainable. Don’t lie or embellish the truth. Communicate them clearly. For example, don’t just say your brand stands for quality. That’s a broad statement any company can make. How does your brand specifically live and breathe quality? (E.g Our components are German engineered, our vodka is made using 3,000 year old artesian water). Those specifics are what will make your brand stand out from the competition.
2. Be Consistent
Get your brand message out there and don’t stray from it. Research shows that as soon as you’re tired of your message, your customers are just starting to recognise it. Don’t go ‘it’s not working’. Realise you probably haven’t given your message enough time to become embedded in the minds of consumers. A consistent message and customer experience are critical elements to building your brand.
3. Be Authoritative
Once you know what your brand stands for and what it promises, don’t be afraid to flaunt it. You need to make everyone else believe you’re the leader and the authority in your area of expertise and specialisation. Say your message with powerful words and conviction. This applies to both your spoken words and your copywriting.
4. Be Driven
Get your brand message out there. Then get it out again… and again… and again. People are overloaded with advertising messages every day (LinkedIn suggest we see and hear upwards of 5,000 a day). It’s important you stand out from the competition but it’s equally important that you’re not forgotten. Don’t drop the ball on communicating your brand promise and building your brand image. It takes time. But your efforts will be rewarded.
5. Be Honest
In today’s world, people are more sceptical that ever. They welcome honesty and your business will be rewarded for it. Don’t offer services or promises you can’t deliver. Instead, admit your fallibility and deliver on your promises. Integrity goes a long way in winning and keeping customers.
The World’s top 10 most recognised logos
We see them every day. While there are hundreds of famous brands and logos, here are 10 of the world’s most recognised – and most valuable.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
Logo and Brand Identity design to make your business stand out
Logo and brand identity is one of Right Hand Man’s 9 core marketing services. We work with our clients to understand the likely usage requirements of a new logo, defining the supporting brand identity elements that they might need.
Is your logo or brand identity looking dated? Does it need a refresh in 2020? We can help. Drop us a line and let’s have a chat.