How to Build Your Brand (without going crazy)

What Does "Being on Brand" Mean?

 Being on brand is when all aspects of a company are strategically connected. Meaning everything a company produces, from their logo to their products, and even how their employees connect with clients all “make sense” together. To some making sure their business is on brand may sound tedious or even silly. But its like all the small pieces of a puzzle coming together to form one big picture. All the little things add up in order for the whole thing to make sense.

​For instance, a company that claims to be “green” but ships its products with lots of cardboard and plastic would be “off brand.” In regards to being off brand, I think Elle Woods' best friend put it best when she said "I don't understand why you're completely disregarding your signature color!" (And yes, I did just reference Legally Blonde...) On the other hand, an example of a company being on brand would be Disney. Their brand is “magic” and everything and everyone that is part of Disney conveys this. Can you imagine Disney releasing a movie that doesn’t give you that warm, fuzzy feeling? Me neither. So how does this relate to you and how do you make sure your on brand without letting the details make you crazy?

Consistency is Key

Keeping your logo as your icon for all your social media is vital for branding.Social media is flooded with businesses all vying for new clients attention. Imagine this, someone finds your website and is interested. They want to check out your social media to find out more about your company and see what others are saying about it. They search within a social media app for your business but they don’t find your logo anywhere. Perhaps they do find your social media but instead of your logo, it’s a picture of a heart for Valentines Day or your cat or something else that, while cute, doesn’t fully represent your brand. Even if it is a subconscious thought, they end up not trusting your brand. The potential client will view this as unprofessional and ultimately use another company.

Utilize Similar Fonts and Colors 

Similarly to using your logo across the board for social media, using the same colors and fonts will unite your brand. It doesn’t need to be boring, or repetitive. Have some fun with it! Think of the brands you know. Most likely you could see an ad (without knowing what brand it is) and be able to figure it out. I once walked passed an old Wawa that had no signage out front. Just by passing the side of building and seeing the stones with the large windows out of my peripheral, I knew it was a Wawa. If you’re not from the Northeast and aren’t familiar with Wawa, then I don’t know if i’m sorrier for that fact you haven’t had a Wawa hoagie, or that this analogy might’ve not made much sense to you.

Use Relative Content

Whether you’re posting to your social media, your blog, or creating a flyer to pass out to customers, keep the content relevant to your company. If you want to post a picture for, let’s say the Fourth of July, don’t simply post a picture of an American flag. Instead, relate the content to your product or service. If your company sales beauty products, you could post a picture of red, white, and blue nail polish with the flag in the background. A little creativity can go a long way!

Why is it Important?

Ultimately it is important for your brand to stay on point. Staying on brand is similar to if you did something that caused your friends to say “that isn’t like them, they’re not like that.” You wouldn’t want someone to think that way about your company. So, don’t go crazy about the details. Just follow the manageable steps above and of course, feel free to let me know if you need advice!