Brand identity ≠ brand strategy.

Brand identity tends to be used as a term for brand strategy. However, brand identity is only a part of the overall brand strategy for a small business. This is significant because your brand strategy is the basis of the connection between a company and its customers. An effective brand strategy defines a business and gives it a benchmark to measure itself against. 

In addition to increasing the perceived value of products or services, your brand strategy lays the plan for you to create a relationship with your audience, giving your opportunity to be top of mind and trusted with prospective, and current, customers. As mentioned, brand identity is only a component of this overall strategy. Yes, it’s a very important component, but still part of something bigger that when implemented correctly, can be a catalyst for community connection and awareness of your business’ brand.

What is brand identity?

A company’s brand identity is a collection of things it creates to make its consumers feel good about it. A brand’s identity consists of color, design, and a logo. It also includes what it says, what it stands for, how you communicate it, and what it wants people to feel about it. It also includes what your brand says, what you value, how you communicate your product, and what you want people to feel about it.

5 steps in creating your brand identity.

In order to establish a strong brand identity for your start-up business, it’s imperative to have a clear and cohesive brand strategy. Here are five steps you can take to achieve this:

Important!: You need to determine your target audience, your brand values and mission, and what key messages you want to convey. If you haven’t already, you should start there because it lays the foundation for everything else.

1. 1. Create your brand’s visual identity, including a logo, colors, and fonts, as well as a cohesive visual style with your brand values as key trait.

   2. Establish brand guidelines that describe how your brand should be represented across all touch points, like your website, social media channels, marketing materials, and anything else you use.

   3. Maintain consistency across all platforms when it comes to branding. Make sure any messaging and visuals you use are consistent.

   4. You need to build a strong connection with your audience if you want to build brand loyalty. Use social media, email marketing, and other channels to do that.

   5. Adapt your strategy as your business grows and evolves. You’ll need to regularly assess your brand strategy to make sure it’s aligned with your business goals and resonates with your target market.

You can use these steps to make your start-up a strong and recognizable brand in your industry by deploying a brand strategy. Brands aren’t just logos and images – they’re how people see you. You can set your start-up up for success if you put time and effort into building a strong brand strategy.

If you’d like to learn more about how AVODAH can help you with brand strategy or marketing strategy, visit “connect” and schedule a chat, or fill out the form below!