A brand identity is the persona that a brand takes on. While Nike and Coca-Cola make it look easy, it isn’t. It can take seven to twelve times before a consumer even becomes aware that your brand exists. Here are five tips that will help your brand through the process.
Go Within
Develop Ideal Customer
Once a brand understands what their Unique Selling Proposition is, they will have to develop their ideal customer. Who would benefit the most from their product or service? Whose problems can that brand really solve that will make the most impact, and therefore, add the most value? Some information to keep in mind when developing an ideal customer is demographic data. Demographic information includes the ideal customer’s gender, age (age range), household income level, region or part of the world and marital status. Eventually, brands can survey their customers for more personal information, e.g. their hobbies and interests.
Study Market and Competition
Brands should closely follow the market, niche, career field or topic related to their brand. This information will keep the company current on trends, issues and future industry projections. They should also closely follow the competition. Brands should be aware of what their competitors sell, what they offer as a Unique Selling Proposition, why they are better and worse than a brand and their style of communication.
Brand Experience
Brands should also create an experience for their customers. This experience will solidify a brand’s Unique Selling Proposition and get to the heart of a brand. As part of a brand’s elevator pitch, all members of a brand should be able to share “why does a brand do what it does?” and “what is that brand really selling?” A brand experience is a promise that you make to customers about the experience that they will have with your brand.
Implement Promise
Brands will have to over-deliver on their promise. Brands will have to pull all the information above and package it. Most will refer to this as a brand identity kit. A brand identity kit is where a brand’s business cards, letterheads, envelopes document templates and corporate clothing are consistent. It is also important to develop a visually appealing logo and design that will stamp all of a brand’s products and communications.
A consistent oral, written and visual message is key to developing a brand identity. An identity cannot be developed without introspection, analysis and research. Consumers will not know or care about your brand unless you can develop a unique enough identity to stand out.
Written by Lisa Smith – Lisa has many years experience as a free-lance writer in many subjects, she is currently representing APL Clothing, a UK supplier of quality branded workwear and embroidery
