Brand Guidelines; The solution to Overcoming Small Business Identity Issues
Read Time: 6 Minutes
Introduction
Are you running your business and finding it tricky to create an authentic brand identity? Do customers relay a lack of recognition or a disconnected message from your brand after their purchase? What if the marketing materials were super consistent – would that make a difference? It sounds like you might be experiencing some brand identity issues – but don’t worry, I can fix that!
THIS BLOG WILL HELP YOU UNDerstand the solution to small business identity issues
Brand Guidelines integrate two components – Brand Elements and Brand Strategy – to create a more personalized branding experience. Brand Elements attract audiences through engagement and aesthetics, while Brand Strategy helps engage the consumer in an inspiring and long-lasting bond, comparable to human relationships, as it is the soul we value. Brand Guidelines are important to resolving company branding issues and guaranteeing its longevity.
What is a Brand?
A brand is how a business talks to its customers and projects its identity. It can build meaningful relationships over time through its name, logo, or any distinguishing factor that sets it apart from the competition. Basically, with a strong brand, your business can stand out in the market.
Key Takeaways of What a Brand is (W. Kenton.2022)
- A brand is an intangible marketing or business concept that helps people identify a company, product, or individual.
- People often confuse brands with things like logos, slogans, or other recognizable marks, which are marketing tools that help promote goods and services.
- Brands are considered to be among a company’s most important and valuable assets.
- Companies can protect their brands by registering trademarks.
- Types of brands include corporate, personal, product, and service brands.
A strong brand builds a personal, intangible bond with its customers that reaches beyond the product itself.
What are Brand Guidelines?
Brand guidelines provide the framework for a consistent and recognizable brand identity across all platforms. They outline specifications for Brand Elements such as typography, color palette, tone of voice, and Brand Strategy, which outlines the brand’s mission statement and much more. A comprehensive brand style guide makes ensuring a consistent and reliable brand experience.
Why are Brand Guidelines Important for your Business?
The brand guidelines are a huge help for everyone who works for the company, ensuring that everyone communicates and interacts with the brand’s target audience in the way that is in keeping with the brand. The guidelines let us know exactly what elements of the brand to use and how they should be presented, so they can keep up a consistent and unified way of communicating with their customers no matter where they come into contact with the brand.
These guidelines let us show the brand’s human side. Whether it’s the content creators crafting the perfect collateral or the customer support agents helping out an unhappy customer, everyone will speak with one voice. Because everyone is employed to reflect the brand’s personality, making sure everyone they meet feels that sense of human connection.
These guidelines let us show the brand’s human side. Whether it’s the content creators crafting the perfect collateral or the customer support agents helping out an unhappy customer, everyone will speak with one voice. Because everyone is employed to reflect the brand’s personality, making sure everyone they meet feels that sense of human connection.
Who needs Brand Guidelines?
Brand guidelines are a fantastic set of rules and tools that exist to help us create consistent, awesome marketing materials and content. Everyone at the company – from the CEO to customer service reps – should be following these guidelines as they contain our brand’s soul and beauty – from logos and color schemes to voices, visions and core values! Having these guidelines helps everyone in the company make decisions that are always in line with our values, so we can help represent our brand correctly across digital and traditional channels. It’s a fantastic way to make sure everyone is creating awesome materials and overcoming any obstacles that come our way!
What are in Brand Guidelines?
A brand guide contains the blueprint for your company’s humanized identity – an important tool that outlines the Soul(Brand Strategy) and Beauty(Brand Elements) of your brand! It’s a document with all the basic guidelines necessary for the public-facing communication of the brand. It contains information about your logo, colors, typefaces, mission and vision statements, and more.
In simple terms;
- BRAND STRATEGY = The soul of your Brand (The fire of your brand).
- BRAND ELEMENTS = The inner & outer beauty of your Brand (The attractive qualities).
Brand Strategy is the Soul of your Brand
A brand’s strategy is more than just a marketing plan or a set of
guidelines – it’s the section that outlines the very soul of the brand. The fire that drive it.
It defines the brand’s personality, intellect, will, and emotions, and
serves as the foundation for all of its communications and interactions
with customers. A well-crafted brand strategy can set a brand apart from
its competitors, create a strong emotional connection with customers,
and ultimately drive business success. In today’s crowded marketplace,
it’s more important than ever to have a clear and compelling brand
strategy that resonates with your target audience. So, whether you’re
launching a new brand or looking to reposition an existing one,
developing a comprehensive brand strategy is a critical first step
towards achieving your business goals.
Brand Elements are the Beauty of your brand
Brand Elements are the essence of your brand that can make it shine,
both inside and out. These are the tangible and intangible components
that make up your brand, from your logo to your brand voice, color
palette, and overall personality. The importance of brand elements lies
in their ability to help content creators and marketers stay true to the
brand’s personality and how it’s perceived by others. By defining and
utilizing brand elements effectively, you can create a consistent and
cohesive brand identity that resonates with your target audience. So
whether you’re launching a new product or looking to refresh your brand
image, taking the time to develop and leverage your brand elements can
set you apart from the competition and help you build a loyal following
of customers.
Brand Strategy and Elements comparison
Where the soul helps the brand stands out, the beauty helps attract customers. Both work cohesively to attract and keep consumers engaged in a loving and lasting relationship
Brand Strategy = Soul
- Reveal your Brand’s “Why”
- Define your Brand
- Understand your Industry
- Check out your Competition
- Create your Brand’s Core Values
- Define your Vision & Mission Statement
- Find your Unique Selling Point
- Develop a catchy Strapline
Brand Elements = Beauty
- Define your Brand Personaility
- Pinpoint your Brand Personality Spectrum
- Find your Brand Voice
- Select your Brand Colors
- Choose Brand’s Content Typeface
- Create a Versatile Logo
Key Takeaways
- Brand Guidelines contain the Brand Strategy & Brand Elements.
- BRAND ELEMENTS = The inner & outer beauty of your Brand.
- BRAND STRATEGY = The soul of your Brand.
- Brand Elements helps content creators represent the Brand and ensures its personality and identity are consistent across all the channels
- Brand Strategy helps content creators represent the Brand and ensures its identity is recognizable regardless of the channels consumers view them from.
- Brand Guidelines help create an authentic humanized company that consumers can align themselves with.
- Brand Elements attract consumers through interactions & beauty. In contrast, the brand’s Strategy keeps the consumers engaged in a loving and lasting relationship because, similar to human relationships, beauty attracts us. Still, it’s the soul we fall in love with.
Summary
Having strong Brand Guidelines is like a recipe for success when it comes to launching a small business – it’s essential. You’ve got two main ingredients to mix up: your Brand Elements and your Brand Strategy. Both of these work together to create a brand with a real human touch.
Brand Elements are all about getting people’s attention and sparking their interest. They’re what draw customers in. But it’s your Brand Strategy that keeps them engaged and attracted. Just like in human relationships, looks may attract us initially, but it’s the substance of the bond that keeps us in love.
Brand Elements are all about getting people’s attention and sparking their interest. They’re what draw customers in. But it’s your Brand Strategy that keeps them engaged and attracted. Just like in human relationships, looks may attract us initially, but it’s the substance of the bond that keeps us in love.
When you get the mix right, your small business identity is unmistakable and powerful. Brand Guidelines are what will help you create that winning combination.
WORKS CITED/ RESOURCES
- Will Kenton (2022). Brand: Types of Brands and How to Create a Successful Brand Identity. investopedia.com