Developing a strong brand identity is complex, if you've always looked at it as a visual process. Logos are still a vital part of nurturing a brand in the public's consciousness, as is providing content online and through social media. But as HubSpot points out, creating a brand identity is really a group effort in your company.
Those involved in shaping your brand aren't always those who just work with you either. This can come from customers as well who can work as advocates in return for product discounts.
If you're just starting a business, though, consider your brand from various angles. It's really a multi-dimensional process that tackles everything from the visual to more challenging aspects like essence.
As with the latter, non-tangible branding elements are always at play that you need to take seriously.
Look at all these carefully and learn about how branding works beyond what you were initially taught.
The Physical Aspects of Branding
While the physical angle behind branding involves visual elements, it can also be very tactile. In fact, your brand might lean more on what something feels like rather than its appearance.
These are important things to consider, including what your packaging design looks like, what imagery you'll use in advertising, and what colors you use.
No doubt you've heard plenty about color psychology and how it creates unique brands. All branding experts note that color and branding are forever linked. Take some time to experiment with different color blends and see whether it improves your package design or logo.
These colors can do more to identify your physical brand than nearly anything else. People will commit this to memory and immediately have a positive feeling upon seeing that color scheme in the future.
Creating a Unique Personality
What kind of personality can you create in your brand that stands out from all your competitors? Many industries are so crowded now, it's a challenge to differentiate. By creating a personality that inspires a particular emotion, you'll succeed at one of the best non-tangible branding aspects.
By testing your demographics, you'll see what emotions your products typically bring. Once you find out exactly what that is, reflect this through subtle physical elements like writing styles and voice.
Every nuance matters here so you don't have the problem of conflicting branding messages.
Making Your Brand Personal
Personalized branding (and marketing) has become more of a top company goal in recent years. Sometimes this means allowing the customer to get involved in forming the branding process for a symbiotic relationship between company and consumer.
You can create these more personalized relationships by using concepts that your demographic relates to. It can start through examining pain points and incorporating those into your brand message. When centering your products around how to solve problems, you have an immediate way to capture significant attention.
Keeping Your Brand Simple
The word "restraint" comes up in many branding guides. Take this word seriously, because being simple with meaning is a perfect way to look at effective branding.
When you take a look at the best brands today, almost all of them have simple logos and even catchphrases. Try to whittle down your brand message into the simplest terms possible. Then incorporate that into all your designs and marketing.
Consumers don't love information overload, and being simple with a powerful message saves your audience time in learning about you.
Need help with your companies digital branding? Read our post, Building a Brand With Custom Web Design Elements.