Founder’s Five – the first in this series
“Branding” as a term has become a little diffuse on the market, especially as people seem to think branding is as easy as slapping a logo you got on fiverr onto some business cards and setting up a website. That’s the performance of branding, the reality of branding can be broken down into the five essential elements of a brand.
Brand position.
This is what your company does, who you are speaking to, what clients or customers you have and are seeking. It is what makes you different from the competition, and your brand position illuminates what your customers are going to gain by using your product or service, particularly in comparison to others on the market. Knowing your position will allow you to give everyone else “directions” on how to get there. You need to make this a mantra. This is your “elevator pitch” and the foundation from which your brand should spring.
Brand promise.
The 100% most important thing that your company promises to deliver every single time is your brand promise. Ricker Duval’s promise: exceptional business solutions. Consider what employees (even if yours is a company of one!), customers, and partner brands expect from your business throughout the lifecycle of your relationship (if it’s finite) or at every interaction. Each business decision needs to be considered with this promise in mind.
Brand personality.
Just like your own personality, brands can be very complex, but a few aspects are likely to stand out! What traits make your brand uniquely yours? What stands out and would be the first descriptors customers, employees, partners, and competitors might use to describe you? Ricker Duval’s personality is: bright, efficient, modern, friendly, and FUN. We aim to make every interaction, with clients or competitors, representative of that. Mapping out your existing or desired brand personality can help you refine it!
Brand story.
Your brand story isn’t just your business’s David Copperfield; it’s more than your origin tale. Your brand story encompasses the background that creates your credibility, it will also represent the services and products you provide, and how all of these elements come together to become the face of your business.
Brand aesthetic.
This is also sometimes called brand associations, or brand imagery. THIS is your name and logo, your tagline, your images, colors, and voice. This is what many people go to first, without laying the groundwork for the other four building blocks. Your brand position, promise, and personality all need to be represented in the brand aesthetic, and they can only be effectively represented when you have them in place.
Need help branding? Ricker Duval can help you from soup to nuts on that, or even offer an objective eye to examine your existing brand. Putting together the five essential elements of a brand that will last can be challenging, but it’s worth it every time.