Are you planning to launch a new company soon? Or are you trying to establish a new look for your brand? Before making branding decisions, there are many things you need to consider.

As a guide, here are key principles you should follow as you design a branding strategy.

1. IDENTIFY YOUR PURPOSE

Before anything, think about why you are doing what you are doing. Why do you want to launch this business? What is your mission in this venture? And if you already have a business up and running, why do you want to overhaul your branding?

Asking these questions will help you identify what you value, your primary purpose, and the message you want to send to your target audience.

2. DECIDE ON YOUR BRAND VISION

After you find out your why, you should pick out your vision next. Ask yourself what you want to achieve. Here are some things you might want to think about:

Where do you want your business to be in five to ten years?
How do you want to communicate your purpose and value to your target audience?
How can you present your business focus in a clear, defined statement?

When you’re writing your brand vision statement, use the present tense, make it clear and concise, and use language so that your target audience can easily understand what you want to express.

3. DESIGN YOUR BRANDING GUIDELINES

Next, you should think about your specific brand guidelines. These elements can help you remain consistent with who you are, who you want to be, and stay on message.

From the packaging you use for your products, your website design, and even your email formats, make sure all of your marketing peripherals are unified with who you are as a brand.

4. ESTABLISH YOUR BRAND PERSONALITY

You should also consider what type of brand personality you want to have. Consider how you want to communicate with your audience—the kind of language you use (formal, casual, Gen Z-speak, among others), the font type, even the colours you want to use.

In line with this, you should think about your true buyer persona. Think about who your target customers are, their demographics—age, gender, income, and other vital details. By considering these elements, you can think about your brand values, and who you want to be—an authority your customers can trust, a friend they can easily talk to, or a sophisticated ideal they will aspire to be.

5. FIND YOUR UNIQUE SELLING POINT

Finally, think about what sets you apart from other companies in your industry. Identifying your Unique Selling Point (USP) can help you position yourself in the field, and it will serve as your foundation for your messaging, copywriting, and all future marketing decisions.

Your USP must be assertive, defensible, focused on your customers, and a whole lot more than just a cliched slogan.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Branding can influence many of your business strategies and future successes, so it is essential to spend time to develop it thoroughly. And now that you know the fundamental principles you need to create a compelling and engaging brand, it’s time to design an impactful strategy for your business.

If you are ready to develop a solid brand strategy, work with us at 55 Knots. We are specialists in unlimited graphic design in Australia, so we can help you turn your vision into a visual message for your target audience. Get started today by going through our design subscription packages.