What is a brand?

A lot of people believe that their brand is their logo, and that’s that. They’ll have their logo designed and think they’re good to go.

I mean you can, but if you haven’t thought out the elements of your brand you’re really not going to get very far. Your brand is everything associated with your business, especially in your customers eyes.

It is made up of a lot of things, the most important and the elements you can control, brand identity, and tone of voice.

Imagine your business is a person, what attributes make up their personality?

Make this a quick exercise: download my brand personification worksheet.

• What is their name?
• What do they wear? (ie. design)
• How do they communicate? (ie. tone of voice)
• What are their core values and what do they stand for? (ie. brand promise)
• Who do they associate with? (ie. target market)

If you’re completing this as an exercise, it doesn’t have to be all text and bullet points, why not make it more of a mood board? And, when you’re finished share your business discoveries with me on Instagram @laurajaynedesigns

When you’re thinking of your colour palette, strip this back too. What connotations do the colours have? How do the colours make you feel? Could they be associated to any other brands, what do them brands stand for?

It’s really important not to choose your brand colours because they’re your favourite colours. Make sure they resonate with your core values, as a brand not an individual.

Next up, tone of voice; how do you speak to customers? How do you appear on social media, if there’s confrontation or a negative view shared, do you become defensive and rude? Or do you politely reply visibly or send a private message?

It’s not just direct communication though, it’s the way you construct your content, and marketing materials. Think about it all, and stick to your tone of voice.

Think about the brands you aspire to be like, research how they speak to their customers. At the same time, find some brands who do it “wrong” in your opinion and don’t do what they do… that simple. You learn & live.

Hopefully, you’ve got a to a good start and now understand how your logo is only a small portion of your brand & business. And you have lots to think about.

In terms of your brand identity visually, a professional designer should be able to assist with these, this is where their expertise comes in helpful. They have a wide knowledge of colour connotations, what works well in a brand, what type of fonts you should be looking at. And if you approach a designer after doing the exercise in this blog, they will be more than thankful that you have thought of all your elements & made lots of discoveries and decisions about your business before you have came to the design stage.

Best of luck, and if you need additional brand or designing help contact me.