Brand identity is everything.
But, what is it? Nike’s co-founder and author of Shoedog, Phil Knight, defines it as:
“A brand is something that has a clear-cut identity among consumers, which a company creates by sending out a clear, consistent message over a period of years until it achieves a critical mass of marketing.”
In his book ‘Shoedog’ he laments the importance of branding, writing about how he and his team spent years developing and refining the Nike brand, from the iconic “swoosh” logo to the company’s famous slogan, “Just Do It.” He also discusses how the brand’s image and messaging helped it stand out in a crowded market, and how it became synonymous with high-quality athletic products. From Knight’s perspective, building a strong brand identity is a no-brainer and it should be for you too!
However, building a strong brand identity isn’t cheap and requires a lot of resources and effort. So, today I will outline what a brand identity is and why it matters – so you can decide for yourself whether you want to make the investment!
What is a brand identity?
In essence, your business’s brand identity describes how your business is portrayed to its customers. It covers everything from your company’s name, design, and logo to the colours and font styles used in your graphics. It incorporates your social media persona, the personality in your marketing, the principles you uphold, and the goal you’re pursuing in your mission statement.
To build a successful business, you must understand your brand. By outlining the values, mission and vision of your brand, you can make it clear what makes your company stand out from the competition and develop a unique selling point (USP). Understanding your brand will help you create a more successful marketing plan, cultivate a following of devoted clients, and ultimately grow your business.
So, how do you define your brand identity? Consider the following:
- What is the purpose of your company? What do you hope to accomplish? You can build a strong and consistent brand identity by making your company’s core values, mission, and vision clear.
- What distinguishes your company from the competition? What distinguishes your goods and services? You can distinguish your brand and create a strong marketing message by figuring out your USP.
- What are the requirements and preferences of your ideal clients? You can develop goods, services, and marketing campaigns that appeal to your target market by knowing who they are.
- What does your company’s brand do well, and what does it lack? You can identify areas for improvement and hone your brand strategy by examining the strengths and weaknesses of your brand.
Why does having a strong brand identity matter?
Having a strong brand identity is crucial for a number of reasons:
- A strong corporate identity creates an immediate connection between your company’s values and personality and potential customers. If your brand identity is cohesive and professional, it makes your business more attractive to potential clients,
- Customers are more likely to choose your company over your rivals when you have a consistent, credible brand identity.
- A distinctive corporate identity helps customers remember your business making it more recognisable.
- A distinctive brand identity distinguishes your company from rivals and makes you stand out in a crowded market.
- Customers are more likely to become devoted, repeat customers when a brand has a strong sense of identity.
- Customers are better able to choose your products or services when your brand identity is clear and consistent, which also helps them understand what your company stands for.
- You can recruit employees who share your company’s values and are fervent about your mission by developing a strong business identity.
- A strong corporate identity serves as the basis for marketing campaigns, ensuring that your messaging is unified and appealing to your target market.
- Customers are more likely to refer your goods or services to others if they have a strong connection to your brand.
- You may be able to charge more by increasing the perceived value of your goods and services with a strong business identity.
So, it’s clear that having a strong brand identity serves to benefit your business in a number of ways. Get in touch with the team if you want to learn more about creating a strong brand identity, or if you would like us to help you to do it!