Start Your Brand With Brand Strategy First
You think about everything from product to logistics, to how it will bring you money. You create a quick logo and print some business cards, and you think “I am ready to roll.” After a few months, you realize that to be “legit” you need a website to go along with your DIY branding. You look into it and decide you cannot do it, and it is time to call the pros and invest.
—Here is where I normally come in and tell you that we need to backtrack before we can move into designing anything else.
If you want to read about the strategy work behind this brand of wedding videographers, you can do so here.
Starting a brand requires strategic thinking
It isn’t just coming up with a name, colors, and a catchy tagline. You should at least answer a few questions that define your brand’s values to create an intelligent representation of it.
All this information will shape and determine how the brand will look and feel. Let me show you how the answers to these questions translate into design content and form.
WHO ARE YOU?
Defines your core values and will become part of your brand messaging.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
Positions you into your place in an industry and shows us how to better differentiate your brand from the competition.
HOW DO YOU DO IT?
Determines customer interaction and these will exhibit what branded materials and any extra designs we need.
WHY DO YOU DO IT?
Articulates your differentiation. This is to be used for your brand tagline and will become part of your look and feel.
WHO DO YOU DO IT FOR?
Targets your audience which leads to the colors, style, imagery, fonts, and any other design choices will appeal to them foremost.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT YOU WANT TO CREATE?
Structures the culture of your company and helps in creating your storytelling strategy.
“All this information will shape and determine how the brand will look and feel.”
Final Thoughts
See how knowing all of these answers makes identity creation a more focused and guided effort? — My advice? Strategy always comes first.
If you are interested in building a brand, reach out I would love to help out!
IF YOU FOUND SOMETHING INSPIRING, INTRIGUING, OR ENCOURAGING IN THIS JOURNAL ENTRY—
I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW!
Send me a message in the DMs or contact me to inquire about working together. I can’t wait to keep the conversation going.
