The marketing landscape isn’t what it was a decade ago. In fact, it isn’t what it was a year ago.
What’s required to effectively promote your organization and grow your customer or client base is continually changing. And staying informed about this ongoing evolution can be time and resource intensive.
That’s why having a marketing partner like A-Train is essential. The marketing landscape is a familiar environment to us. It’s where we spend all day every workday. So, we can guide you to and through its many different regions. One of the most important is what we call Branding Bay.
What is a brand?
An organization’s brand embodies its history, culture, products, services, and people. It’s not merely a name or logo, but rather the associations about the organization that live inside the heads and hearts of customers, stakeholders, and audiences.
Brand Components
Once you start thinking about what a brand is, the next question is, “Where is an organization’s brand used?” And the answer is, “Everywhere!”
The easier it is for someone to see that an item is associated with you, the easier it is to get and keep their attention. So, your brand should be evident on a wide variety of resources.
Essentially, if it can be seen, it should be branded!
Keep in mind that your brand doesn’t have to be “loud”—though it can be. Often, the best branding is eye-catching but without being “in your face.” It’s challenging to walk that line, which is why successful organizations look to an agency’s expertise in this area.
Brand Guide
Your Map to Effective Use of Your Branding
Establishing a vibrant brand identity is critical. But so is using your branding correctly and effectively.
Consistency is key. If your team members, business partners, or others are allowed to modify your branding to serve particular purposes, it can quickly become diluted and leave your audience confused. Having a brand guide is crucial to maintaining the credibility and value your brand accrues through the years.
A brand guide is a document that spells out how your team must use your brand. At a minimum, it should cover your logo design, brand colors, and typography. If your brand is more complex, your guide may need to address:
- Logo usage
- Messaging
- Icon library
- Photo styling
- Example designs
And in some cases, the document should also cover stationery usage, your mission statement, and downloadable resources.
Get The Branding Basics Checklist
Every brand entering the marketing wild must arrive at Branding Bay. When you embark on your journey, you want to be certain you’ve packed everything you need.
To help you do that, we’ve created an informative branding checklist. Reviewing it is an easy way to ensure you’re using your brand to maximum effectiveness. And if you aren’t, the unchecked boxes become action items for improving your brand identity. Fill out the form below to download the Branding Basics Checklist today!
