Branding 101: How to Create and Design Your Startup's Brand
Featuring Tips and Tricks from Evocati PR
Branding Explained
Branding, often a buzzword, is one of the biggest pieces of a successful startup but often neglected. Evocati PR was a startup not long ago and now, with a clearly defined brand inside the public relations industry, serves nationally recognized organizations like Soldiers' Angels and the National Potato Council.
Branding is your identity and serves not only as a visual representation, but your company’s mission, values, culture, and voice. While your brand represents your service or product, it also shows how the community views and remembers your company. But where do you begin and how can you create a memorable brand for your start up?
Here are a few steps you can take to build a compelling and memorable brand.
Start With Defining Your Mission and Values
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Your mission and values are the foundation of your brand. Your mission should explain why your business exists and what value you provide to customers. These will not only guide your decision-making, but they will also communicate to your customers the intangible benefits your company offers.
READ MORE: Revamps that Resonate: Successful Brand Reimaginations that Made Their Mark | Evocati PR
Once you have defined your mission and values use these to inform your brand image and create a memorable tagline.
Discover Your Target Audience
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A target audience is not just about reaching as many people as possible, but rather understanding who your audience is and what makes them unique. By doing this, you can tailor your message and services to their specific needs, which will make them more likely to engage with your brand. It's important to remember that your target audience is not just a demographic, but a group of individuals with their own unique preferences and pain points.
READ MORE: How to Determine Your Target Audience for Maximum Impact | Evocati PR
Taking the time to get to know your audience on a personal level demonstrates that you care about their needs and are dedicated to providing the best service. This attention to detail will set your brand apart and build a strong groundwork for long-term success. Once you've discovered your audience, ideate on branding that will resonate with them. Learn how to do this by reading our post here.
Assess Your Competitors
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In today's ultra-competitive business world, it's increasingly important to assess the competition. Analyzing your competitors will help you find what has worked and what hasn't. You can also discover what sets you apart from the pack. You need to find what makes you different.
READ MORE: Navigating the Perils of Rebranding: A Deep Dive into Brands that Stumbled | Evocati PR
Are you more cost-effective, is your quality better, do you serve a different market? By learning how others in the industry operate, you will gain invaluable insights. Armed with this knowledge, you can make strategic branding and business decisions to position your startup for success.
Develop Your Brand Visuals
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Now we move from the research phase, into the design phase. Here you can create a logo and other visual elements. The research comes before the visuals for a reason: you have to incorporate your mission, values, and audience into your visuals. A well-designed logo communicates all of your brand into a single image.
READ MORE: Essential Tips for Successfully Branding a New Nonprofit | Evocati PR
You also need to get diverse perspectives on your visuals. Your audience can't read your mind, so ask others to review your designs and ask if they see what you are aiming to portray. Your visuals are the most recognized part of your brand, and the most important.
Craft a Voice
When communicating with customers, it's essential to use your business' voice. Will you be witty, informative, or both? You have to find the tone, language, and personality that portrays your brand. A professional and knowledgeable tone will give you credibility and establish trust with your audience. Your tone should also be interesting, and engaging, and showcase that you care about your audience. This caring approach fosters long-lasting relationships with your customers. At the end of the day, the tone of voice you choose represents your brand and its core values. Choose wisely, and adjust when needed!
For example, let's look at the "Broadcast V" icon in our branding. How did we come up with that design? The "Broadcast V" represents our commitment to providing Public Relations with a Purpose. The broadcast element is located over the "V" as a nod to our President & Founder's prior military service, our pride in being a service-disabled veteran-owned business, and our passion for all underserved communities. It's the best visual representation that captures our history, mission, and values as a business.
You Got This
In the end, your startup’s brand encompasses a lot more than many realize, and it isn't as easy as creating a cool-looking logo through Fiverr. We understand how overwhelming creating a brand can be for startups, but with a few simple steps, you will have no problem getting started. With our knowledge and experience, we are more than happy to help guide you through this process and create a one-of-a-kind brand identity for your startup to ensure success!
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