Identity design is the formation of the visual elements of a brand such as the logo, tagline, typography, color palette, icons, photography, and illustration and imagery for use across all channels. It can also include messaging. This provides a consistent aesthetic, which make your brand identifiable over time.
No matter the business, consistency exhibits product leadership, marketing, support, and operation. Consistency in identity projects the value of the products or services offered.
Why does it matter?
Your visual identity creates the first impression of your business. What does yours say? Does it say that you value your idea, your mission? That you are excited about it and believe in it? Does it tell people that you value them as clients, customers, supporters? You only get one chance to make that first impression.
Making yourself recognizable to customers is a no-brainer. It doesn’t need to be expensive, it just needs to be genuine, professional, and consistent. Brand recognition builds trust. A professional visual identity tells people you value them and will put effort into getting their business and keeping it. It says that you are serious about your business, which automatically gives it more importance and clout in the marketplace.
Strong brand identity is the best way to reach your ideal clients.
They share your core values and are closely aligned with your mission and messaging. Therefore, you are naturally attracting people who are more open to your products or services. This allows you to close sales more easily, and develop long-term customer relationships.
What you can do
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In today’s saturated online market, having a distinct look and message has never been more important. You can take the time to clarify what you stand for, and who you serve.
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You can take a look at your logo, fonts and color schemes. Do they work across all platforms? Is there a cohesive look and message? Do they represent the value you see in your company and in your clients?
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Make a plan. Are there are things you can update yourself to make it more cohesive? Be sure you and the people on your team are all clear on the value and messaging you want to project.
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Hire a professional like me 😉 to help. Even if your budget isn’t large, it pays back tenfold to present a professional identity in the marketplace. You’ll be amazed at how much easier the job of selling and marketing becomes when there is a Clear, Professional Brand to present to potential customers. This is the value that many small business people don’t see.
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A brand with a logo and brand identity that is highly recognizable and has strong positive customer connection is incredibly valuable.
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These days, everything is changing so fast. Technology is changing rapidly and many firms find they are doing substantial redesigns of offerings and websites every few years because of a combination of changes in their own business, technology changes and design trends. By contrast, a well-designed logo should last years if not decades. Invest in it once and do it right and you may never have to redesign it. That’s an amazing investment.
