Branding

Branding can be defined in many ways. Essentially, it is your business' personality or voice. It stretches from the tone of voice your business uses to the colours in your material. Overall, it creates an impression on your customers, telling them who you are, what you stand for and what you offer. 

Branding defines the identity of your company, it encompasses the whole way your customers think of you. A strong brand gives your business a distinct identity so you stand out above competitors. Cultivating a cohesive brand helps customers trust your business and elevates the perceived value of your products.  

Your branding should be woven into every aspect of your business, from business cards to emails. To keep everything consistent, it is helpful to start off with building a key blueprint of the basics that you can use to tie everything else together. 

Of course, you should start with your business name. The name of the business is the very first impression you'll leave with your customers, so it should be unique and represent who your business is. Keep it simple, if it's too complicated your customers will struggle to remember you and they may end up going somewhere else. So, choose a short, clear name that represents your brand. 

Before going ahead with your chosen name, be sure to do your due-diligence. Search the web to make sure that name is not already in use and the name would not infringe on anyone else's trademark. 

A logo is arguably the most recognisable part of a business' brand. It can tie all of the visual elements of the brand together so it's worth developing a good, robust logo to represent your business. You don't have to be a graphic designer to create a great logo, there are many online tools that can help you. 

When creating your logo, don't stop at just one version. It is worth creating at least 3 versions:

• Primary Logo: Includes your logo and your business name. 
• Secondary Logo: This is just the icon of your logo, to provide a more simple option that still represents your brand.
• Light & Dark Variations: Make sure that you have a version of your logo that works both on light and dark backgrounds. This will come in handy to ensure that your logo is versatile. 

In a nutshell, this is who you are as a business, and what you stand for. Your core values represent everything that is important to your brand that customers should know about. Some common core values include: 

Consider your audience when you choose your core values. Who are they? What do they value? What do they want from you? These questions will help you to choose select, targeted, and relevant core values to drive your brand. At any point, these core values can act like a rudder to steer your branding decisions and ensure that everything is consistent. 

Your slogan goes hand in hand with your core values. It is designed to give your customers a sense of what you stand for and what you offer in just a few words. It's not necessary, but a nice touch. 

Consider highlighting one thing you stand for, and one service you offer and tie them together. For instance:

"Delivering excellence in Energy Assessment"

The tone of voice refers to the way your business communicates with your customers. This applies to all aspects, from emails to your website content. To clarify the brand identity, ensure your tone is consistent across all areas. If your brand is warm and friendly, you may use slightly more casual language. However, if your brand is professional and corporate, you may lean towards a more formal tone, using industry jargon. 

We've mentioned that consistency is key to a successful brand, and the visual language is at the heart of creating this sense of cohesion and consistency. 

Shape language refers to consistently using certain shapes and silhouettes within a brand. For example, sharp, angular shapes might convey a sense of aggressiveness or modernity, while rounded, organic shapes could convey warmth or friendliness. Shape language is crucial to create visual coherence and establish brand identity.

Colours are strongly associated with brands. Choosing a limited, relevant colour palette for your business will help foster a sense of cohesion and identity.

Coolors is a helpful online tool that can help you find a colour scheme for your business. 

Your fonts should also contribute to your brand identity. Select a small list of fonts and apply them across all aspects of your business. You could follow the rule of three:

• Header Font: This font should be used for all headers, titles, and big 'stand-out' text
• Copy Font: The copy font should be used for the main body of your material. It must be clear and easy-to-read, nothing too extravagant.
• Accent Font: This third font should be used sparingly, as an accent to the other two. 

Now that you have created your brand blueprint, all that's left is to apply it. Everything your customer sees should reinforce this brand. So, whether you're creating your materials, working on your website, or posting to social media, make sure you consult your brand blueprint.