Assess your brand’s visual assets to ensure you’re attracting the right business leads.
The old adage “you only get one chance to make a first impression” is true, especially for brands. Consumers have an enormous amount of choices when it comes to the products and services they use. People won’t think twice about judging your capabilities based on the flow of your website or the look of your logo.
Visual Identity is a Big Part of Your Brand
A major component of your brand image is your visual identity. A cohesive appearance across all facets of your business helps your audience recognize and pay attention to your brand. But, do you have the right image that provides the best representation and the experience you want your stakeholders to have? Are you attracting the right clients or customers to your business? These are among the things to consider as you continue to evaluate your brand and the reputation you’ve built.
Don’t let mediocre competition win over your new business leads because they were able to entice them first with an alluring website and flashy sell sheets. Those things may not guarantee the best service, but they are often what gets people to turn their heads and makes them eager to learn more.
Your logo is the face of your business. It’s how consumers identify and distinguish one brand from another. Logos are constantly critiqued, and let’s face it, everyone has an opinion.
Look at the chatter around Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign logo. And don’t forget the Instagram logo controversy. A change in design threw everyone into a tizzy. Granted, these are high stakes examples, but they demonstrate the value people place on a good or bad logo.
Your Business Needs a Style Guide
So, where do you start and how do you get the rest of the company to follow suit? Once you’ve gone through the process of deciding on your brand’s aesthetic, create a style guide that details every visual component, from your color-scheme down to the font size on your letterhead. Think of it as your company’s rule book for your brand’s design elements. There should be a sense of uniformity among all the pieces.
Consider your brand colors. A more conservative brand would shy away from lime green and hot pink, but one that is edgy and playful would embrace a vibrant palette. The style guide sets the standard for use of these colors across all your materials.
What to Include in Your Style Guide
Here is a list of business assets—some that are obvious and some that might get overlooked—that should receive design consideration from your style guide:
Website
It goes without saying that your business’ website should be up to date and easy to navigate. Make sure it’s mobile-friendly.
Business cards/collateral
Your business card is one of the first encounters someone will have with your brand, as are new business materials like PowerPoint presentations and leave behinds.
Email signature
Since so much communication is done via email pay attention to your signature. When everyone at the company follows the same signature guidelines, it makes the business look organized and polished.
Social media
Don’t forget that your social media channels, like everything else, should visually represent your brand. Use your logo or an identity icon as your profile image to reaffirm your brand presence.
Need help defining your visual identity? Contact JConnelly today to hear how we can help!
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