Top 10 elements to consider when building your brand

Author: Natasha Thompson

Building your brand is the fun and creative part of starting and launching any business however; every choice you make needs to be determined with purpose and with consideration to the bigger picture.

Brand Building

Here are our top 10 elements to consider when building your brand, the impact it will make to your business and why it’s important to understand their purpose:

  • Colour Palette

Research your ideal colour combinations that best suits your brand and business vision. You want to ensure a seamless and consistent colour palette is determined for your website, logo and image to resonate with your ideal target audience. Is your brand vibrant, natural, cool or textured? Is your brand Red; urgent and appetizing, Blue; loyal and reliable, Green; healthy and tranquil, Purple; wise and respectful or Orange; cheerful and optimistic?

  • Font

Make a clear decision on which font will be used for your website headings, body of the content, company name on your logo and that will consistently be used on all marketing collateral, website and throughout your brand architecture. Is your company bold and solid, whimsical and light, comical and fun or analytical and linear. Consider your ideal target audience and consumer; what is your demographic and is your font appealing to them?

  • Company name

Selecting a company name can be as simple as key words strategically strung with reference to your services, industry or business type or alternatively constructed from a family name. One must consider length and when made into one word for website URL that the mind doesn’t read or separate into alternative words that may be inappropriate or offensive. Ensure your company name doesn’t limit your company growth, is easily spelt or pronounced, is available as both a registered business and domain name but most importantly that you are passionate and proud to say your company name out loud.

  • Company logo

A great logo needs to; be eye catching, memorable, work well large or small and encompass your brand ethos. Is your logo an image, does it tell a story? Use of shapes and empty space allows for your logo to be innovative and clean. Imagine what your logo would look like on merchandise or marketing collateral and ensure versatility of format on white, black or grey backgrounds when printed or affiliated with partner brands and artwork. Be authoritative, literal and continue to tweak it with confidence until you are completely satisfied.

  • Company image

Your company image demands presence and thought around company image needs to reflect not only in the brand, collateral and building but further be translated into the ethos, vision and growth of your business. This must include and not be limited to your staff image, the ideal target audience and all persona’s and messaging.

  • Website

When building your website; carry your colour palette, fonts, logo, name and image throughout. Your website is a preview, summary and overview of your full business showcasing all you have to offer as well as the delivery and quality you will provide to your end user. Partner with a website developer that understands and matches your ethos, pledge and mission. The layout, functionality, format and voice of your website needs to reflect and mirror your brand image and company brand precisely.

  • Why

Find your why. Your ideal target audience will remain committed and loyal to a brand that understands them with a solution for their challenges. Majority of your ideal clients, consumers and browsers are not interested in what you offer but why you offer it. Consider Apple, Microsoft, Kodak, Blockbuster, Netflix and make an informed decision that will be easily translated and understood by all who are aware of you and your business.

  • Target audience

There is a difference between your ideal target market and target audience. Is your ideal consumer male or female? Adult, Teen or Child? Are they interested in what you have to offer and can they afford it? Your target audience can be established with the correct demographic selections; Age, Gender, Location, Hobbies, Income, Education level, Profession, Marital Status, who they trust, what they read / watch and compare this with your current customer base as well as who your competitors are targeting.

  • Solutions

Businesses are established and launched to make money. Whether your business sells services or products the success and revenue generated is 9/10 times owing to your business meeting the solution required by your ideal consumer. The consumer makes the decision to commit to your service or product because they trust that you care and have the solution to rectify their challenges or issues. Consumers make decisions based on status and the way you make them feel. The rates you charge won’t matter if you understand and tick all 4 boxes that influence customer behavior; Psychological, Personal, Social and Cultural.

  • Social Responsibility

Being socially responsible will bolster a company’s brand image, empower employees to do good and boost employee morale and productivity. Choose to partner or create your own program that reflects your why, your ethos and your core. Customers respond well to companies that are socially responsible as by contributing to socially responsible companies they feel they are indirectly participating in being socially responsible themselves and this results in a direct conversion and uptake of your business services or products.

Get Creative and Launch

With a clear and detailed vision; a simple brief can be brought to life more effectively and efficiently with the right agency who completely and confidently understand your goals. Take the leap and launch your business and brand immediately, the world awaits you.