What Is A Brand?
As much as we throw this term around, the word “brand” can mean so many things.
Brands clarify what a company stands for and why it does what it does. They are an effective way to communicate vision through images, stories, and shared experiences. Ultimately, a brand is the sum of how a product or business is perceived by those who experience it—including customers, investors, employees, and the media—and becomes the process of shaping these perceptions.
Simply put, a brand is more than a logo. It’s the feeling that comes from who you are and what you represent. So, when a customer decides to grab your product, they know it means something to them and everyone else around them. Almost like a social status that can be physically personified through the product.
Let us take Starbucks as an example. They were a company that started out trying not to be your average fast-food chain, focusing more on the customer connection that you get from your daily cup of coffee. It was handcrafted right in front of you, by baristas that knew you by first name when you walked through the door. They often used to say that one sip could cultivate a community by being the “Third Place” for its customers. Meaning, after home and work, the next best place to go for community and growth would be your local Starbucks down the street. Now, they are a worldwide, multi-billion-dollar company, that has evolved into drive-thrus, and quick-make processes, however; they never lost that initial feeling they founded themselves on. Every time you grab a Starbucks coffee cup, it symbolizes so much more.
Creating Influential Brand Identity
Okay, so you know what a brand is, but how do you give it an identity? It all starts with rebranding your idea to consumers. The process of branding, culminates research about vast topics, developing new ideas that gratify the brand, all while applying distinctive features for your organization.
Influenced by Hubspot, here are some basics of the brand identity creation process:
1. Determine your target audience.
§ Before branding can lead to awareness, recognition, trust, and revenue you must understand where it comes from—or who. So, who will you be speaking to with your brand? Who does your product serve? Who is the ideal customer? Why did you create your business in the first place? What you learn about your target audience will influence how you work with your brand. This is the first priority.
2. Establish the mission statement.
3. Define who you are—values, features, and benefits.
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Time to focus on you. Is there something you have that makes your idea stand above the rest? It is always a good idea to jot down a list of what makes your business so unique. But make sure you focus on services and what you have to offer, not appearances.