The Power of Brand Guidelines
Elevate Your Small Business with Consistent and Memorable Branding
Okay, so you’ve invested in brand guidelines - loved the process and have the final look, now what? We all know in today's competitive marketplace, establishing a strong brand identity is crucial for the success of your small business. A well-crafted brand identity can set you apart from competitors, captivate your target audience, and foster trust and loyalty among customers. In this post, we will explore what to do next: how applying brand guidelines can enhance your small business's brand identity and improve recognition across various touch-points and where to even start.
When tackling any project that comes out of your business brand guidelines should be your first port of call. By adhering to these guidelines, you ensure consistency in your brand's messaging, design elements, and overall aesthetic. Consistency builds trust and familiarity, making it easier for customers to recognise and connect with your brand, regardless of where they encounter it.
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Making a memorable first impression can be one of the key moments to capitalise on your ROI (return on investment). Packaging is an essential element for product-based businesses, and it offers a prime opportunity to showcase your brand identity. By incorporating your logo, colour palette, and typography consistently across packaging designs, you create a cohesive and memorable experience for customers. For instance, a well-placed logo on a product label can instantly catch the eye and reinforce brand recognition.
Pro tip: nailing your tone of voice, can be the difference between an ‘add to cart’ and a ‘see you later’. We love how innocent smoothies do this, and recently have been loving the labels on Sport & Rich clothing (super dreamy!). We love.
Reinforcing your message consistently in branding extends beyond packaging and should be applied to all customer touch points. Stationery items like business cards, letterheads, and envelopes should feature your identity providing a unified brand experience. Here you might play with your logo suite, finding the best logo by selecting a ratio that ‘fits’ best. Marketing materials, such as brochures, flyers, and banners, should follow the same guidelines to reinforce your message and enhance brand recall.
Creating emotional connections with customers, can be as easy as a well designed colour palette. Colour plays a powerful role in evoking emotions and creating associations with your brand. For example, a health and wellness brand might use calming blues and greens to convey a sense of serenity and trust - think Evian - while a vibrant red may be employed by a youthful and energetic brand like Coca Cola. Both brands in the drinks space, but are a totally different vibe.
When designing for your website, as well as logo and colour, fonts have a big part to play. Fonts are not just about aesthetics; they also contribute to the overall user experience on your website. A font system, consisting of a primary font for headings and a secondary font for body text, helps create a consistent and readable design. It adds hierarchy, which directs the users eye on what to look at first, what is important and the order of things to read.
By implementing brand guidelines across your small business, you can elevate your brand identity, establish a consistent presence, and improve recognition among your target audience. Whether it's through packaging, stationery, marketing materials, or online platforms, adhering to brand guidelines ensures that your visual elements work together harmoniously. Remember, investing in a professional design studio or team of graphic designers (hint: us!) can help you create an impactful brand identity that resonates with your audience, setting you on the path to success in the marketplace.
If you're interested in learning more or would like to work with us, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us. Let’s grab a virtual coffee!
