BRAND IDENTITY

A Having a good brand identity is very important. It can not only position a company above its competitors, but it also communicates to your enthusiastic customers the reason why they should choose you instead of your competitors. But developing a strong brand image takes time, money and effort, and it involves much more than redesigning a logo. Your new brand identity should evolve from your previous identity. Be careful not to start from scratch and come up with something completely new, as you may end up losing loyal customers who have built emotional ties with your product.

B It’s important to understand that by changing the visual aspects of your company - your logo, your packaging and so forth - you are not actually changing your brand identity. Your brand identity is the promise a company makes to its customers; its features, quality, values, and service support. Just modernizing your visual image does not mean a change in brand values. Many companies sadly believe that when they make visual changes, they will also be able to change customers’ perceptions of their products. But such changes only inform consumers that a company is concerned about how it looks.

C Successful branding may not be actually connected with the product at all, but may represent a greater sense of purpose or a more satisfying experience. The branding may affirm that drinking a cup of coffee can really make a difference, or that exercising may bring about a sense of challenge and personal achievement. Many successful brands study social media and identify the latest trends so that they can understand what their customers value and aspire to. Then they sell the idea that by using their product, these dreams can be fulfilled, and the customer can gain the lifestyle he or she is looking for - be it a sense of glamour, freedom, popularity or self-satisfaction. So, find out who your customers are and what they want.

D Lack of consistency is probably the most common mistake when it comes to designing an image for your brand. You need to provide a consistent message in your proposals and visuals so that your company develops credibility and gets noticed and remembered. To ensure that your branding is consistent, gather all the information that leaves your company, be it faxes, emails, advertisements, invoices or packages. Examine them for discrepancies in your company’s image. Doing so will also give you the chance to evaluate the image you are trying to sell.