What is a business brand?
You have developed a great product or service, done your research, set yourself up and are ready to launch your new business. Now what? It is time to consider your business brand.
A business brand is your corporate identity. It is made up of tangible and intangible elements which represent you and your business. These include visual elements as well as emotional ones.
First we recognise the graphics associated with your brand and then we experience the emotional side which represents your values, your mission, your character. Together, these elements put a face and a personality to your business. Consider your audience and how you want them to experience your brand, its look and feel, how you want to be perceived. What message do you want your brand to send?
As graphic designers, we will look at the visual elements of your business brand.
Think brand, think logo
Most often it is the logo which is the first visual representation of a company we see. It is essential that it represents your business well and is readily identifiable as you. Consideration needs to be given to font, colour, style and meaning. That one symbol will be used across all aspects of your business and everywhere your product/service is shown. Make it an exceptional one!
Your logo could also include a catchphrase, or statement, to help reinforce your brand message. This is usually a few catchy words which people associate with your business when they see your logo and can help to connect with potential customers. Take Adlab for example. Our catchphrase is ‘Creating since ‘83’. It is simple yet lets people know we are an established creative business, showing trust and experience.
It is worth using a professional designer when creating a logo given the important role it plays for your business.
Style Guide – what is it and why is it important?
A style guide is the set of guidelines for how your brand is represented. It includes both graphic and language specifics including fonts, colours, images, sizing, grammar and spelling preferences, to name a few.
Take your logo for example. Your style guide would include the exact dimensions, colours, font, size and placement for its use. You may also choose to include variations depending on where and how it will be used. For example, if it is to be presented on a white or coloured background, you might specify the use of a reverse design. In addition, you would identify different logo sizing depending on if it is being used on a business card, letterhead, e-news etc. A logo is just one example of what to include in your style guide. There are numerous elements of your brand which can be included.
Having these set guidelines in place also makes it easier when working with others. You can simply provide your style guide to any organisation and know that your brand will be shown exactly as it should be. No fear of the wrong colour or font being used – it is all laid out for them.
Making these style decisions at the outset will take a bit of effort but will save you time (and money!) in the long run. If you are not sure where to start or what to include in your style guide, give us a call. We can create a useful guide which will protect the use of your brand and give you peace of mind.
Website creation
A website is a vital tool of your business brand. This is where your customers will learn more about you and your product or service, interact with your brand and, all being great, become a loyal customer. Your website offers you maximal opportunity to showcase what you are about, why potential customers should engage with you, generate interest in your product or service, highlight your points of difference, build trust and start the process of developing customer relationships. That is a lot of pressure for one website – and why it is worth investing part of your business budget to getting it right.
Other brand elements
Once you establish the particulars of your business brand, the rest will be on point. Whether that is stationery, packaging, new products or digital offerings, you have what you need to create these elements in a manner that fits perfectly with your organisation’s brand identity and personality. You just need to follow the guidelines.
What not to do when considering your business brand
A common mistake people make is rushing the brand development process in their excitement to get their name out there and get selling. We understand that and we are excited for you to begin your venture too. However, putting some energy into creating a great business brand which people recognise, relate to and trust, and which motivates them to act, is well worth taking the time to do right.
As you can see, there is a lot that goes into creating a great brand. Need help? Work with the team at Adlab and take advantage of our years of design experience and industry knowledge. Remember, we’ve been creating since ’83! We know what makes a brand stand out from the crowd.
