{"id":28666,"date":"2019-06-18T09:57:05","date_gmt":"2019-06-18T01:57:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zegal.com\/?p=28666"},"modified":"2024-01-30T18:45:45","modified_gmt":"2024-01-30T10:45:45","slug":"5-branding-lessons-for-those-who-know-nothing-about-branding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zegal.com\/en-nz\/blog\/post\/5-branding-lessons-for-those-who-know-nothing-about-branding\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Branding Lessons For Those Who Know Nothing About Branding"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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I wish I could count on one hand the amount of times a small business or startup has asked me \u2018How much will it cost for a logo?\u2019. Thus, deep breathing begins and a politely delivered pitch. All the while fighting the desire to kick the person under the table who set up the meeting in the first place for destroying any prospect of leaving on time for something that will, with certainty, amount to nothing. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the beginning, there will be lots of nodding, but then the very recognisable moment when the penny drops. You are not immediately going to design a logo<\/a> for them. With this dawning realisation, the lights behind their eyes begin to dim, as you patiently try (in vain) to explain the importance of the process that leads to delivering the damn logo.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This process is the process of branding. And<\/span> maybe it\u2019s not the most positive way to begin to explain branding, but I do want to ensure absolute clarity here: never, ever consider your brand as simply a logo!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are launching a business whether it be B2B or B2C, then you\u2019re gonna need a brand. For example, if you are starting a law firm, understanding the dynamics of a law and attorney logo<\/a> may be helpful. Knowing the basics will help you navigate this minefield. If you\u2019re looking to\u00a0create your logo effortlessly<\/a>, consider using a\u00a0logo designer app<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here I will outline real branding lessons for building a strong brand from scratch:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Your Brand And Your Business Are Intrinsic To Each Other<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Business-Brand, Brand-Business, it doesn\u2019t matter which way round you look at it, the sooner you start seeing them as an extension of each other, the sooner you will get your head around the importance of branding<\/a>. To put it simply, your brand is the visual (pictures\/colours\/graphics<\/strong>) and verbal (words\/tone of voice\/descriptions<\/strong>) representation of your business. Without it how are you going to communicate anything to anyone with any level of consistency.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you know your business well, and you should, then you\u2019ll understand what drives you; what your passions are; why you want to make a difference; who you are targeting; and why you are different from others. And for you, the branding process is going to be a piece of cake(ish).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lesson 1: Business and Brand go hand in hand<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

You Need It By WHEN?!<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In fact the branding process can be rather complex. It’s largely based around logic and truths but sprinkled with a good deal of strategy and creativity to make you look and sound pretty darn terrific. Of course it\u2019s all true what the business is saying and stands for, but applying the brand glitter to amplify the message requires patience and talent. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For start-ups and SMEs the approach should, and can be, less complicated because speed, agility and budget sensitivity are all key at this stage of your growth. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The likelihood is that you will have to pay an agency or freelancer to help, so do take time to find the right one. Set aside some money for this in your budget and start thinking about it earlier rather than later. Your brand should never be an afterthought. It needs crafting and you won’t get a brand strategy overnight.  <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lesson 2: Don\u2019t leave it until the last minute<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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P-lease Pay Attention Here<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

It is impossible to speculate here how long your brand will take to develop or how much it will cost but good preparation will help set the wheels smoothly in motion and save you time. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 5 Ps To Remember:<\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Product & Purpose<\/b> \u2013  What is your business? What are you providing? Can you clearly articulate this to someone without industry knowledge? What is the purpose of your business? Some brands have a higher purpose ie. NGO\u2019s, but most don\u2019t, so stick to the truth and avoid getting unnecessarily profound.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

People<\/b> \u2013 Who is your target audience? How well do you know them? Have you done any research (studies, surveys, interviews)? Gut feelings are not your answer.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Positioning<\/b> \u2013 Where do you sit in the marketplace with respect to your competitors? To state the obvious\u2026if you don\u2019t know your competitive set then you can\u2019t possibly understand how you differentiate, and if you don\u2019t differentiate then I\u2019m afraid things might not work out that well for you. <\/span>Presumably there is something you can hang your hat on, call your own; and this my friends is your unique position in the market. Hold on tight to this but remember it won\u2019t stay that way forever so you need to keep evolving in line with your customer\u2019s conscious and unconscious needs.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Passion<\/b> \u2013 We all gravitate towards people who we share passions and values with and surprise, surprise, it\u2019s the same with brands. You need a set of values (ideally around four) to act as your guiding principles. So really think about the things that drive your business. Be honest and personal, as you will have to conduct your business by these standards, but try to be somewhat bold and different. Don\u2019t just state the obvious eg. a law firm who has a value of \u2018trustworthy\u2019\u2026.meh\u2026that\u2019s a given! <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Personality <\/b>\u2013 Again, think of your business like a person. How do you behave? How do you talk? What do you look like? What do you wear? Do you have a good sense of humour? All of these sorts of questions will help you define the behaviour of your brand. Quick recap moment – your brand is the outward face of your business.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lesson 3: Preparation is key<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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Managing Expectations<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

So assuming you\u2019ve done your homework and sat down with a branding expert of your choice, then here’s what you can and should you expect as an outcome. At its simplest, the process should deliver a brand strategy<\/strong> and a VI System<\/strong> (Visual Identity). However, depending on what you\u2019ve discussed and paid for, you may get more, you may get less. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visual Identity design generally begins once the brand strategy is confirmed. Both are developed in an iterative and collaborative manner with you, and should be backed up with solid rationale\/research. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A brand strategy generally consists of the following elements clearly articulated in some kind of report or visual presentation:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n