Why lasting brands are built with design, content & strategy

What makes you, you? Is it your hair color? Your signature sneakers? The way you speak? Maybe it’s what others think about you... The truth is, it’s all of those things, and none of them individually. A brand is no different. It’s an ever-evolving entity.

You probably think you know your favorite brand by its name, logo, color palette, typography, tone, slogan, or tagline, but that's only because those items came together and made you feel connected to it.

Our agency has three distinct areas responsible for brand building: design, content, and strategy. Together, they coalesce and form an unbreakable force to propel your business forward.

Come along as we explain the steps you can use to show who you are, which are also used to create lasting brands.

1. Know yourself

“To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.” – Socrates

It's important to find yourself instead of someone else. To do this, an ideal question to ask is: What could you be that no one else could replicate, even within your space, with the same product?

But that's just the beginning of the introspection and research that must be conducted!

Keep an ear out

Listen to what others say about you. You can do this by inventorying what's being said online or through direct interviews with your team, your brand advocates, your clients (present, past, and former), and anyone else who is willing to talk about your company.

Sometimes, this can result in surprises. For example, you may hear things you don't like. But don't think of this as a negative! Instead, ask more questions to find out why.

Go inward

It's going to take some soul-searching to understand how you feel about your company and brand. The best way to begin this is to isolate your goals. Once that's complete, take them and use them to pick your path:

Path one: Reinforce existing strengths – If you're doing something well now and want to continue, double down on it!

Path two: Raise awareness of new offerings—If your existing products no longer work well for you or need to be supported by others, create new ones. Tactically, this option could mean adding a service, acquiring another company, or any other growth path that can help you better define your brand.

Path three: Change behaviors or interactions—Impressions of your brand may have nothing to do with what you're selling and much more to do with how you sell it or interact with customers. Changing your approach to these things can make a world of difference.

Path four: Differentiate yourself from competitors – Did you already decide what you could be that no one else could replicate with the same product, even within your space? If so, you're on the right track. If you can't answer this question strongly, you must return to the drawing board. This is the most important exercise you can do to ensure the future of your business.

2. Create your strategic visual identity

"Practice safe design: use a concept." – Petrula Vrontikis

Your design choices shouldn't be fly-by-night. Explore before you make definitive visual commitments. The best way to accomplish this is to devise visual motifs that allow you to create and play within your newly minted visual identity.

Once you have chosen a direction, move forward by crafting a logo, assembling a color palette, and choosing typography that best aligns with your style and sense of self. Once these start to come together, it is important to create rules and ideologies that align with your initial research and what your viewers expect of you.

3. Hone your message

Your visual identity will be stronger if the right copy supports it. That's why we recommend carefully considering your ideal voice and tone, documenting them in a written style guide, and using them to develop a slogan, tagline, and other written pieces.

4. Show off a little!

After you have chosen your visual and written identity elements, you need to activate the brand. Use every opportunity to demonstrate who you are in a genuine manner (people can sniff our disingenuous marketing all too easily).

Starting off smart involves building a strategic rollout plan focused on brand advocacy and evangelism. Don't skimp on this last task. It sets the stage for everything that will follow.

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Fully realized brands recognize the most robust results. That's why, while we're happy to make you a logo or write a bit of copy on an ad hoc basis, we know you will be more successful if you let us take a holistic look at your company so that we can help you build a brand you can be proud of for years to come.

Are you ready to reach your goals using the power of branding? Say hello.