Is your visual branding working? Part 2.
Part of building your brand is learning to convey the values and personality of your business through the visual elements you align with your business. “Visual identity should amplify the intended message of the brand so you want to learn more and follow along with the story. Then the story should sell customers into why they should do business with your brand. At the core of this visual identity are your brand ingredients: logo, colors, type, and imagery.
• Color: Your color palette needs to fit what you are trying to convey. If you’re promoting a luxury product, you may want to use blacks, golds, and silvers. If you have a financial product, you may want to incorporate greens and golds. Research suggests that between 62% to 90% of consumer decisions are based on color, but don’t let yourself get overwhelmed—just keep it simple to start.
• Logo: Your logo needs to convey what you do and have imagery that sticks into the minds of the people who see it. A logo can be a combination of your color palette, type, and design. A logo can also evolve as your identity evolves.
• Type: Beyond what the words say, the scale, font, and arrangement of your text impact your visual identity. A funeral home that uses a playful, hot pink, comic font will confuse potential customers who are grieving. Even the best-known brands out there—such as Facebook and Apple—tend to keep it simple. Font decisions are challenging for many. I like to guide with suggestions that eliminate some of the guesswork and are based on design intelligence from balance to hierarchy.
Consistency and Velocity Are Key
While visual identity aims to create an emotional connection with a customer, it’s just the initial catch. Once you’ve caught the customer’s attention, the ability to retain him means being clear on the value you deliver and consistently delivering on your promises.
Value can come in many forms: customer service, the product you deliver, or the content you create that engages your audience.
Where does your business use their visual branding? Everywhere!
Print materials: Receipts, Gift Cards, Business + Apt cards, posters, sale material, Signage, etc.
Uniforms, Interior Décor choices.
Digital Branding: Website and Social Media content.
Q: When you look at your established visual branding do you feel proud and confident or are you cringing, even a little? Brands evolve. Refreshing is very much a common strategy. Consider booking a discovery call (30mins free of charge) about how we can create, refresh and evolve your brand.
