As thousands of businesses try to make a name for themselves worldwide, building a unique brand identity has become crucial for your business to stand out and distinguish itself from other competitors.
“Brand” and ”Logo” are two very different terms, yet they are often used interchangeably.
Although a logo can be regarded as the symbol of a business entity, it is really not the entirety of a brand.
In reality, creating a logo is just one of the many checklists for building a unique brand identity.
What is a logo?
A logo is a symbol that may be made up of text, images and/or illustrations. It helps your business to visually distinguish itself from other brands.
A logo is ideally regarded as the “face” of your business; It represents your business on letterheads, business cards, promo banner, event backdrops, website, app stores, social media pages, invoices, payment forms, souvenirs among other brand assets.
What is a brand?
A brand is simply the overall public perception of a particular business, service, or product.
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Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.
Jeff Bezos (Founder of Amazon)
What is branding?
Branding is the strategy of improving the overall public perception and uniqueness of a given business, service or product.
You may like to read: Branding Vs Marketing — 7 Differences No One Told You
So, how can I make my brand unique?
To be a successful and memorable brand, you have to apply the following guidelines;
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Know your competitors
Knowing your competitors is a crucial step towards standing out and building a competitive advantage. However, this would require that you do some market research.For example, studying reviews from customers of your competitors can reveal certain opportunities which may help you reposition your brand, help you stand out and eventually win over some of your competitors’ customers.
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Keep It Simple
Get a logo, but keep it simple and memorable.
You don’t have to go overboard with complex logo designs to prove a point, just keep your logo clean and simple.
If you already have an existing logo, you might either want to take a second look at it yourself or let us do that for you by uploading it in the comment section below. -
Be Coherent In your communications
As a brand, maintaining a coherent design language across all your communication channels will only yield positive results. Not only would it put your brand on a pedestal, but it would also earn you some “easy” trust by making your brand look less confusing to prospects.To achieve this, get your logo done by a professional. Stick to a colour scheme, and make sure you follow other guidelines such as typography, imagery, as advised in your Brand Guide book.Don’t know what a Brand Guide Book is? Click Here to download an example Brand Guide (PDF | 2.79MB).
You may have noticed that at this point, it is already getting beyond just your logo, but the way which you communicate with your target audience (colours, voice, typography etc.).
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Get some branded assets
Branded assets are also called brand collateral for a reason.Do not underestimate how much that branded merchandise can hype your brand and amplify your voice in the most unexpected of places.It doesn’t cost much to get your logo slapped on a t-shirt, but just make sure that the colours agree with your brand (or follows your brand guidelines). Believe me, it would be worth every penny spent.
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Be your own brand ambassador
There is no better way to stand out and create a deep connection with your audience than being your own brand ambassador.You are your brand. Own it, eat it, drink it, wear it, use it, and flaunt it. If you have employees, encourage them to primarily use your products, but you may not force them.Patronize your business first, and show the world you are confident about your brand. This evokes emotion and builds your brand’s credibility over time.
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Make use of subtle marketing tactics
Subtle marketing is also commonly referred to as Indirect Marketing.Subtle marketing creeps into the hearts of your audience. Your audience slowly absorbs your message subconsciously due to its passive nature.Subtle marketing is humane, sensational and not lousy.
Examples of subtle marketing include;
- Content marketing
- Search Engine Optimization
- Participation in social initiatives
- Donations to NGOs
- Social Media PR
Subtle persuasion in marketing will help your brand create a longer-lasting impact. It is relatively more effective than the common aggressive and direct marketing strategy.
Read Also: 10 Common Branding Mistakes You Must Avoid
Finally, if your goal is to build respect and ultimately make your brand stand out, then aggressive marketing strategies such as e-mail blasting, spamming, intrusive and annoying WhatsApp broadcasting, etc., should never be used as your primary marketing strategy.
Illegal marketing tactics such as empty promises, bulk e-mail purchase, use of megaphones in restricted areas, loud music etc., should not even be given a second thought.
Do you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns? Drop a comment below and I would be more than happy to reply.
Thanks for reading.