Building Your Brand - A Checklist For Success
First things first, what is a brand and why do you need one?
Well in simple terms a brand is your business identity. Everything that makes your business your business is part of the brand. From a logo, fonts and colours to mission statements and values, your brand distinguishes you from other businesses. It allows potential customers to easily identify you, your products and/or your services. Think of the ‘dun dun’ of Netflix or Macca’s iconic ‘M’. It isn’t just a name or a logo that makes up a brand and if you can recognise a business without seeing the name then that is branding done right.
So how do you build your brand?
1. Write your mission statement
This is where you clearly outline exactly what your business is, its purpose and your goals. Why have you chosen to start this business, what do you wish to achieve? You can also start developing your brand values and your vision statement. Knowing the hows and whys of your business is crucial for success and will help ensure you and anyone working for you are on the same page.
2. Research your industry
Regardless of where you are in your business journey, it is important to understand where your business sits in the market. Who are your target audience and who are your competitors? What do you offer that sets you apart from the rest?
To stand out from the crowd you need to understand your position and what you are doing right or wrong. Knowing your competitors is good and necessary but knowing your audience is key. Once you have done this, go back and check over your mission statement. Make sure your goals line up with your audience's needs.
3. Domains, ABN’s and Business Registrations
If you have already decided on a name for your business, then it is time to check, if you haven't already, that you can actually own that name. This may vary depending on where you are located but in Australia, if you are conducting business under a name other than your own then you need to register your business name with ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission). You will also need an ABN (Australian Business Number), which can be applied for during this process as well as potentially apply for other registrations such as GST or PAYG. Don’t worry the registration process is relatively simple and they have a built-in tool you can use to work out your business structure and which registrations you need.
Before registering you should also check if your domain is available. A domain is essentially the address of your website on the internet, for instance, my domain is attardcreative.com.au. This can also be used to create custom email addresses.
Even if you don’t plan on being online yet, you should still consider purchasing your domain. It allows you to move your business online and build a website whenever you are ready - and if you are wondering about the benefits of a website, make sure you check out our blog on that here. Even more importantly it stops other people or competitors from taking your domain name and either stopping you from having it or in the worst-case scenario pretending to be you and potentially tricking your customers. There are plenty of different sites that host domains such as VentraIP which is an Australian company or GoDaddy which is one of the most popular. Do your research and pick what suits you best. While you are at it we also recommend purchasing both the .com and .com.au versions of your domain if possible.
If you don’t already have a name or your name isn’t available then use the next step to brainstorm a name that suits your mission statement and your new brand voice. Then come back and repeat this step.
4. Develop your brand’s voice
Okay so you either have a name or are working towards one and you understand what you want to do, your goals and who you are trying to reach. Now it is time to find your voice. Meaning how do you wish to be perceived - do you want to come across as more formal or do you want to convey a more fun and informal tone? Or do you want something in between? This is a personal choice and comes down to you and your business. A law firm likely wants to come across as more serious but a gin distillery may want to come across more light hearted. Your brand's voice is important because it is what will draw your customers to you. So really consider what is authentic to you and your business and what will appeal to your ideal audience.
5. Develop your brands look
You should now feel confident in your tone of voice which will make it a lot easier to pick colours and fonts, as well as design your logo.
Colours:
When picking your colours, give some thought to the meaning behind them and the emotions or messages they may convey. Darker and richer colours typically offer a more sophisticated or luxurious feel whereas softer colours can feel more fresh and calming. Researching colour theory can help you in navigating these choices.
Fonts:
Your font communicates your brand's voice as much as colour does. There are six main types of fonts; Serif, Sans Serif, Script, Handwritten, Display and Monospace. All offer a different look so it is important to consider which fits the tone best. For instance, serif fonts have strokes or embellishments at the ends of the letter, which is typically a traditional style and is considered more elegant or sophisticated. Think Times New Roman. Whereas sans serif as the name suggests are fonts that do not have the serif and are typically considered more modern and the most legible. Such as Ariel. When choosing fonts, for your logo in particular, consider not only what suits your style but also what is easy to read on the various platforms your logo will be used on.
Logo:
Finally the logo. Everything we have discussed so far will need to be considered when designing your logo. It is a representation of everything your brand is and the goal is for your ideal audience to understand who you are through your logo. A well-designed logo will be easily recognizable and work both digitally and printed.
Whilst it is possible to create your logo yourself, it can be tricky if you don’t have the right tools which is one of the reasons why you may wish to enlist a designer. If you do create your own logo, particularly using online software, then just make sure you check the legalities behind it. For instance if you use Canva, specifically canva’s free or premium stock content to create your logo, then you technically only have a non-exclusive licence to it. Meaning you cannot trademark it and other people are free to use the same elements or logo if they so wish.
6. Create your branding guide
Once you have mastered all of the above and have a brand you love that resonates with your message then it is time to put all of those elements together into a ‘branding guide’. This is the holy grail of your brand and will bring all of the above to one easy-to-understand place. It’s up to you what is included in your branding guide, they can be as detailed as you like but it is important that it includes all the visual elements of your brand. Such as your colours, fonts, logos, logomarks or symbols and alternative logos. Alongside this, they should also provide guidance on how and when to use these elements.
By having a branding guide, you can ensure that you are consistent and able to sustain a cohesive brand identity that everyone in your company can stick to.
7. Finally, don’t be afraid to change.
Yes consistency is key and it is true that constant changes can negatively impact brand recognition, but if something isn’t working or your company has evolved past your original intentions then it is worth considering a brand refresh. A brand refresh or ‘rebrand’ is sometimes the most practical solution for when your current strategies aren’t working. It can be as simple as minor changes or a complete transformation.
Before taking these steps, go over all of the above, and re-evaluate your goals and your target audience. Do they still align and do they still suit your tone of voice or visual representation? If the answer is no or not really, then consider what areas could be tweaked to change this. Take your time, do some research and if you can, reach out to your current customers to gather some feedback. Getting new customers is important but not if it is at the expense of your current loyal customers.
A lot goes into branding and it can feel overwhelming at first but it doesn’t have to be. Break down your branding into easily manageable steps and remember that you know your business and your passion will shine through. In this day and age you don’t have to go into anything blind, so take advantage of the many tools and ways to research that are at your disposal. You have the power to transform your business into more than just an idea or a name!