Chances are, if you see a picture of the logo below, you'll automatically think of Qantas.
This is the result of having a strong, clear brand identity.
When your business has a strong brand identity, you're better able to:
- Increase the recognition of your business among potential customers
- Build loyalty among your existing customers
- Differentiate yourself from your competitors
- Clearly convey your business's level of quality, service and reliability
- Influence the buying decisions of your customers
What Is A Brand Identity?
Your brand identity is the culmination of all the elements you use to market your brand. These include the colors of your logo and corporate identity, specifics of your logo design and user experience, the tagline you use in your marketing materials. It's a way of defining your company to yourself, employees, your customers and other external parties.
An effective brand identity helps identify your goods and services as being made or provided by you, differentiating you from your competition.
A simple way to think of your brand identity, is to think about your company as a person. Asking the following questions will help you begin to understand what your brand identity could be:
- How do you want your company to be perceived?
- What values do you want to convey?
- What kind of reputation do you want to have?
5 Steps to Create A Great Brand Identity
Creating a brand identity starts with analyzing your business, customers and your market. Here are 5 questions to get you started with creating your brand identity:
1. What is your brand position?
Your brand position helps explain your business's unique value and how it benefits your customer. It should define exactly what your business does, who it's intended for, and why your business is different from competitors.
2. What is your brand promise?
Your brand promise is what your business is committed to delivering to your customers - every single time. When thinking of your brand promise, consider every person that comes into contact with your business and what's expected of you in every interaction.
3. What is your brand personality?
These are the traits that you want your business to be known for. Examples of this are: Dove - Purity, or Harley Davidson - Rebellious
4. What is your brand story?
This gives credibility to your brand by sharing the history and origin of your business. For example, "Our graphic design company has served companies in the Brisbane area for over 5 years".
5.What are your brand associations?
Also known as "Visual Brand Identity" these are the actual visual devices used for your brand identity. Examples include your tagline, logo and business name.
Infusing Your Brand Identity Into Your Marketing
Once you've worked out your brand identity, you'll be better able to convey those identified qualities in your marketing, by creating a visual brand identity.
The visual devices used in creating a visual brand identity typically include:
- Logo - this is a symbol of your business
- Tagline - a short phrase that encapsulates your brand's identity
- Stationery - on business cards, letterheads and envelopes
- Marketing materials - brochures, flyers, catalogs, ebooks
- Packaging and Products - the packaging of the products you are selling
- Signage - both inside and outside your business premises
As you can see, a strong brand identity is crucial for making sure your business stands out and is easily recognized. If you're looking to create your own visual brand identity, but don't have the time or expertise, then design studios can help create a professional looking brand identity for you.