Brand development is the process of creating and strengthening your professional services Brand. The process is divided into three phases.
The first phase is getting your Brand strategy right and aligned with your business objectives.
Second is developing all the tools you will need to communicate the brand, such as your logo, tagline, interior, experience ...
Finally, there is the phase of strengthening your newly developed or updated Brand.
Your Brand development strategy is how you go about accomplishing these tasks.
Defining your brand is like a journey of business self-discovery. It can be difficult, time-consuming and uncomfortable. It requires, at the very least, that you answer the questions below:
- What is your company's mission?
- What are the benefits and features of your products or services?
- What do your customers and prospects already think of your company?
- What qualities do you want them to associate with your company?
Logo. Place it everywhere.
Brand messaging. Key messages you want to communicate about your Brand.
Every employee should be aware of your Brand attributes.
Brand integration. How you answer your phones, dress code, e-mail signature...
Create a "voice" for your company that reflects your Brand. This voice should be applied to all written communication and incorporated in the visual imagery of all materials, online and off. Is your Brand friendly? Be conversational. Is it ritzy? Be more formal. You get the gist.
Slogan. A memorable, meaningful and concise statement that captures the essence of your Brand.
Design templates. Brand standards for your marketing materials through color scheme, logo placement, look and feel throughout.
- CONSISTENCY IS KEY –
Be true to your Brand. To make sure those customers will return to you or refer you to someone else.
Be consistent. I placed this point last only because it involves all of the above and is the most important tip I can give you. If you can't do this, your attempts at establishing a successful Brand will fail.