Many find this difficult to answer. It is much easier to comprehend what a brand is when we swap the word ‘brand’ for the word ‘business’:
Brand Identity = Business Identity = the visual appearance
Brand Awareness = Business Awareness = what people know about the company
Brand Personality = Business Personality = what people think about the company
Brand Experience = Business Experience = the experience people have as buyers
A business is made up of many parts: the audience (the buyers), the industry, the people in the business, the skills, the vision, the values, and the magic – the results for customers.
The Brand is the whole business and how it makes people feel
Everything about a business contributes towards the impression it makes – it’s brand. In order to understand the company brand, it is helpful to take a walk around the business and get a really good picture of all its parts.
Who are the best buyers – the ideal customers?
Are there any relevant industry norms or expectations, trends or regulations?
Who are the people in the business?
What skills are needed for the business to work?
What is the vision – why this business?
What are the values of the people in the business?
What is the magic – what results do people get when they buy?
Why does this matter?
The experience of each part effects the perception of the business – the brand. It is crucial that each part of the business tells a consistent story. Consistency will build up the perception of the business in an authentic and meaningful way. Consistency will gain trust amongst potential customers.
Being consistent will gain trust amongst potential customers
People buy based on emotions followed by rational thinking
Harvard Business School professor, Gerald Zaltman, found that 95% of our purchasing decisions, take place subconsciously.
95% of our purchasing decisions, take place subconsciously
Gerald Zaltman, Harvard Business School professor
We cannot take the emotion out of the decision. In fact, Neuroscientists have found that people whose brains are damaged in the area that generates emotions, are incapable of making decisions. People make decisions based on emotions first, then the conscious mind looks for rational reasons to back up that decision.
Therefore, it is important to connect with potential buyers on an emotional level when building a business. Identify key feelings people have before making a buying decision. A simple way to do this is to interview your current clients or read reviews and testimonials. Look for the adjectives people use to describe how they feel, especially before and after they experience buying from you.
Are people describing the business with words you want them to be using?
It is possible to influence how people feel
We clearly need people to be aware of the business in order to buy from us. They will make buying decisions based on emotions and we can influence how people feel.
If we tell one consistent story and express a consistent personality at every touch point, we will influence how people feel.
This is what it means to build a meaningful brand.
One part of the process is the visual appearance. Think through the positioning of the business then create the logo and design style to represent it. This is the area I can help with.
I help identify how the business wants to be seen and interpret it into a visual style for the business. Logo, colours, fonts and design templates.
Want to know more about brand positioning and creating a logo? Contact Nikki at Designs Like These
Build a meaningful brand identity
We can make the design style fit the business
AUTHOR: Nikki Shield
Nikki has over 20 years experience of working with businesses creating logos, graphics and design collateral. She understands the importance of building a picture in an authentic way that aids communication.
