The Tactics of Branding
“YOUR BRAND IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT INVESTMENT YOU CAN MAKE IN YOUR BUSINESS.”
— STEVE FORBES —
In a nutshell, your brand is your character. It’s everything you are, what you stand for, and why. Branding is all of the ways you establish an image of your company in your customers’ eyes.
Whether I design a logo or website, develop a content and message strategy, or execute a well-thought-out social media strategy, what I’m actually doing is building your brand! That is, I am shaping how and what people’s perceptions of your business are.
Mission/Vision Statements
Your mission/vision statement is the foundation for your branding. Think of your mission as the brains of the operation—a short and succinct statement that defines the purpose of your organization. Meanwhile, your company’s vision is its heart, providing an inspirational and motivational snapshot of what you seek to achieve in the long term.
Logos
Your logo is the face of your company and designing your logo is arguably the single most important branding you’ll do for your business. During the design process, think about who you are as a brand and how you want to be perceived by your customers. We use that to drive our design strategy.
Taglines
A tagline is defined as a catchphrase or slogan. It is your businesses’ mantra; it tells people who you are and what you stand for in a few succinct words. Its purpose is to create a positive, memorable phrase that sticks in your customer's head and helps them identify your branding and marketing messages.
Key Messages
Key messages are the main points of information you want your audience to hear, understand, and remember. They are bite-sized summations that articulate what you do, why you do it, how you are different, and what value you bring to stakeholders.
Websites
Designing your website is likely the second most important branding step. Your website is your brand’s digital real estate and when your customers visit, it should be visually engaging, easy to use, and most important of all, a reflection of who you are as a brand.
Additional Tactics
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to branding. Depending on your business and industry, you might need additional assets like business cards, product packaging or event flyers. Assess your business and your unique needs, and then develop additional branding assets accordingly.