Brand Identity
What is a brand and how do I build and manage it?
Your brand is so much more than your company name and logo. It is a set of expectations and associations which fuse together to make customers feel a certain way when interacting with your company. Branding is knowing what you stand for and bringing it to life in everything you do.
There are a number of different techniques and approaches outlined in the resources below, from thinking of your new brand as a living person, to defining your brand’s mission statement, brand values and tone of voice. Once you have your brand guidelines in place, then – and only then – can you layer it with brilliant design.
The first rule of branding
Demystify the art of branding with the first and most simple rule
from Seth Godin
WHAT? A micro blog post (only 8 sentences!). Summary: Keep your promises
WHEN? You are about to start any branding activity
WHY? It takes 20 seconds to read, but the insight may last forever
OTHER RESOURCES?
>> Seth Godin has also published a number of books on Marketing, including This is Marketing
Brand guidelines
Learn why we have brand guidelines with the Vulcan Watch Straps case study
from Virgin Start Up
WHAT? A short article written by an entrepreneur launching a premium product on their branding journey
WHEN? You have not started working on your brand and want some inspiration from a real-life business
WHY? Seeing how to set out strict guidelines on how customers will interpret your brand will streamline all elements of your business
OTHER RESOURCES?
>> Also from Virgin Start Up:
Brand building
Enrol on a free five-day course on building your brand
from Smart Passive Income
WHAT? An energising five-day online programme to build your own brand, by Pat Flynn. Day 1 is relevant to all businesses, but the rest is only useful if you want to build your own website.
WHEN? You are ready to jump in and prototype your ideas. Particularly useful for businesses fronted by you as a person, rather than a company brand.
WHY? Forces you to think about your customer, their pain points, and what you stand for as a brand
Online brand protection
Protect your brand online with advice from Chris Barling
from Marketing Donut
WHAT? Eight tips for protecting your brand when you do business online
WHEN? Your brand is online and it has a website and active social media
WHY? Protect your digital investment and reputation - don't be a soft target for hackers
