If you’re looking to build your business success and stand out from the crowd, your best bet is to invest in top-notch branding. "But Clay, I already have a logo." Excellent! Now it's time to take the logo and build it an environment in which it can thrive.
More than just a logo
A brand identity is a comprehensive visual tool box that creates a cohesive environment for your business story. Your logo may be huge part of telling that story, but it can never encompass the whole picture. Think of your favorite restaurant; it may have a cool sign and a great product, but do you notice the details inside and around the space that contribute to the environment of the product? Maybe the walls are covered with a material that makes the food feel more rustic and homey. Perhaps the plates on which the food is served provide a "wow" factor. Details like these are powerful. If harnessed properly, they can enhance the customer's experience to create sharable memories, and even dictate the price of the plate of food (you wouldn't pay the same price for food on a paper plate as you would if it were on heirloom, handcrafted china). The same goes for your brand identity: just as your logo tells a story, so does the plate on which it's served.
The big picture
Suppose you've decided you logo is dated and you need a refresh. That is a great place to start. But branding is comprehensive, and changing your logo can be like changing your haircut: people may or may not notice, and it probably won’t change the perception of who you are. But a brand takes your new haircut and gives you clothes, shoes, and a new car to match your style. It’s a complete overhaul that takes your logo style and extends it to every single touch point between you and your customers. Comprehensive brand identities reinforce who you are, build trust, and communicate professionality.
Here for the long haul
The best part about brand identities over focusing on a single mark is that it allows you the flexibility to stay relevant. When Clay Schmidt Creative develops brands, we assemble tool kits and guidelines to help you reinforce your identity consistently across multiple platforms. We do this because we understand how quickly things change, and how reactive businesses have to be in order to stay ahead of the competition and at the front of the conversation. That's the beauty of a brand identity: there are no rules, and nothing is written in stone. If a change needs to happen, we can make it happen without losing any of the brand equity you've built over the life of your business.
Brand identities incorporate more than just a unique logo mark. They are adaptable, cohesive, and comprehensive, and allow you complete control of your business story. Ask now about Clay Schmidt Creative subscriptions that provide constant brand development for up-to-date, ahead-of-the-pack branding.
Kommentare