Power Of Strategic Branding

Just like human beings are all different and have their unique styles and identities, successful businesses also have their unique brand identities. A brand identity is the visible elements of a brand that the customer sees. With a consistent and cohesive brand identity, businesses can stand out among their competitors, and build a great image in the minds of consumers.

The key to creating results that boost the public perception of the brand lies in creating a powerful identity, which is a part of strategic branding. Some brands that have memorable brand identities are Apple, Nike and Google. In this article, you will learn the power of strategic branding and how to create a memorable brand identity.

What Is a Brand Identity?

Brand identity is a set of tools and visible elements that represents a brand and its values and attempts to cultivate an image of the brand in the minds of consumers. A brand identity will involve all the sensory experiences that have to do with the brand, such as the logo, brand voice, colors and font. A good brand identity is an important part of a brand strategy.

What is a Branding Strategy?

A branding strategy is a long-term business plan which companies use to build rapport with consumers and establish dominance in the competitive market. Brand identity, brand persona, and brand story are some of the elements of a brand strategy. It is a holistic approach to improving overall brand performance over time. Businesses need strategic branding as a tool to present their unique value proposition to customers and get them to choose their brand over the competition. This is due to the fact that good branding strategies employ tools like creative storytelling and advertising to communicate with the customers, and convince them to buy your products. Indeed, what’s the end goal of any business if not to make sales?

Why Do You Need to Create a Brand Identity?

Some important reasons why you need to create a brand identity includes the following:

It builds trust in the mind of customers about your brand.
It makes it easier for consumers to identify your brand and differentiate it from the competitors.
It creates brand loyalty and drives repeat sales
A consistent brand identity will lead to consistent sales.
It works together with the other tools of strategic branding such as the brand story to enhance overall brand performance.

What Makes Up a Brand Identity?

The identity of a brand is made up of the visible elements that will help customers to easily identify the unique features of your company. Some of the components of the brand identity that lead to the building of a brand image include the following:

Brand Logo

Logo is the part of brand identity that is most memorable. It is the most visible part of your brand. While selecting a brand logo, it is important to choose one that represents your business values, and communicates the right message to your audience.

Tagline

A slogan or tagline is usually a short sentence that attempts to communicate what a brand is about. Your tagline should be simple and easy to memorize. An example of a tagline is Nike’s byline “Just do it”.

Brand Tone

The voice and tone of your brand attempts to establish a language with which your products or services will speak out with the audience. Usually, the tone of voice will depend on the target audience, and what product values you wish to bring out. For example, Coca – Cola is marketed as a refreshing beverage, and the tone that the brand uses to communicate with its customers is laid back and conversational.

Brand Colors

Research in color psychology suggests that the colors you choose for your brand will affect how consumers will see it. For example, bright and bold colors suggest ‘daring and fun,’ while soft muted colors can be used to show that a brand is classy.

How To Create a Memorable Brand Identity

To create a memorable brand identity, here are some steps to follow:

Re-examine Your Brand

The first step to take in creating a brand identity that will stick in the mind of consumers is to know your brand. If you don’t know what your brand is and what it stands for, how then can you pass the right message across to consumers? Therefore, you should start by analyzing the vision and mission statements of your brand. Ask yourself these questions;

What are your brand values?
What is the brand personality?
What are your products?

These are questions you need to find the answers to before you start to carve out the identity of your brand.

Carry Out Proper Analysis of Your Target Audience

To establish the right identity to create for your brand, you need to analyze your target audience. Learn what their needs are, and try to meet those needs. Study their spending habits and what they expect from a brand like yours. Consider the following when analyzing your target audience:

Study Your Competitors

The next step in carrying out the research is to study the pool of competitors. Analyze other related businesses and learn what makes them succeed. If customers prefer their brand to yours, try to discover why. It’s only after you have this knowledge that you can begin to develop your unique brand identity that will surpass theirs and make you stand out in the marketplace.

Design The Visual Elements

After you have gained knowledge of your competitors, it is time to get to work on creating your unique brand identity. Design a logo using colors and styles that represents what your brand stands for. Try to select a tagline that is precise and tells consumers what your brand does. Brand colors, font and graphic styles should all be chosen with utmost care. Ensure you choose what’s distinctive and appealing.

Establish a Tone That You Can Use Consistently

Social media advertisements are the most important part of advertising in today’s world. Try to establish a language that you can use to efficiently communicate with your audience what your business is all about. The tone you choose must be pleasing to existing customers and be able to generate new consumers as well.

Monitor Performances

After you have implemented your business plan, you should also monitor its performance. This is the only way to be sure if it’s working. Some important tips here include:

Try to avoid mistakes like inconsistency in messaging
Avoid copying your competitors
Listen to feedback from your target audience
Learn to modify your plans and constantly adapt to changes that will lead to business growth.

Wrapping Up

A brand identity is a powerful tool in creating a strategic branding plan. The brand identity helps to cultivate the image of your brand in the mind of consumers. Some of the essential steps to follow to create a memorable brand identity include analyzing your target audience and defining what your brand stands for. It is important to note that a constant brand identity will often lead to consistent sales.

FAQs

Q. Is my brand identity my brand logo?

A. The logo is an essential part of the brand identity that’s made up of the logo, styles, brand name, colors, slogan, among others.

Q. Do I have to create my brand identity by myself?

A, No, you don’t have to. You can employ designers, social media content creators and other specialists who will help you to create the logo, social media presence, and other elements of your brand identity.

Q. Does brand identity mean the same thing as brand image?

A. No, it doesn’t. While brand identity refers to the visual elements that contribute to the customer’s perception of your brand, the brand image is the perception of the customer after they’ve had an experience with you.