Are you planning on setting up a new business? Or are you
already on your startup adventure? No matter what stage you are at in your
business life cycle, the two areas of importance are: what to do before
investing in branding and after you implement brand identity design.
What is brand identity design?
We have all heard the word, ‘branding’. Some understand it well and others think they
do. But, when the term ‘brand identity
design’ is used, the majority of people (even the smartest of the smarts) get
confused. To keep things clear: branding is an act of forming and improving the
perception of a business in the eyes of its customers. Artists might appreciate
the fact that, in essence, branding is an abstract concept. Brand identity
design, on the other hand, refers to tangible items. It’s a design package
which includes logo design, business stationery, promotional items, etc. Brand identity design encompasses the
official brand colors and fonts, making sure it is consistent across all
platforms.
Before investing in branding
You really should decide whether and how much you are going
to invest in branding before you complete your research and development stage. Why?
Because branding has a direct impact on the recognition of your business. The
sooner you introduce your startup to the world in terms of visual exposure, the
better you’re going to do when you actually enter the market with your products
or services.
Every business owner should know that marketing starts
before the launch of a product or service.
The process requires time. Branding,
however, should start as soon as the decision on your company’s name is set. Design
your logo so it sets the tone for your vision.
Then start showing the world your logo so they can start to wonder what
it stands for. Start building the
excitement. Once people remember your
logo, they’ll eventually recognize your ads without even seeing your name but
by simply connecting the design principles (colors, fonts, layout) to your
brand’s standards.
After implementing brand identity design
The brand identity design includes a variety of items that
should be designed by the same person or team for consistency. Imagine a
professional, luxury real estate business with stationery that doesn’t exactly
match its logo and website or a set of envelopes and papers that are different
than the symbol they are promoting. Counterproductive!
No matter how extraordinary your company’s services may be,
customers may have trouble taking the business seriously. Instead, they will go
to a competitor that took care of such simple details. The point? An investment
in branding is a simple and worthy way to either gain a competitive advantage
or to keep up with the competition.
This is especially true for startup businesses. The first few months are crucial for survival
– let alone the ability to compete with long-standing companies with deep
pockets. Startups can’t afford to lose a client because of minor inconsistency
across branding elements. This is an
easily avoidable situation.
It is almost an understatement to say that startups have a
limited budget. But, the great thing
about effective BRANDING is that the cost is minimal. Unsure where to start? Contact the experts at SK Consulting! From concept.
To creation. To
Implementation. We’re there with you
every step of the way!
