Things to consider when creating or “re-creating” a BRAND… not a logo a brand. What’s the difference? The logo is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to your company’s branding. Brand refers to all the customer touch-points – any printed collateral (pocket folders, brochures), any promotional items (coffee mugs, tote bags), and any other arenas where you connect with customers.
Check out this list of questions to help you really define your brand: (Hint: This checklist is a great first step to working with a designer or agency.)
1. What is your business name? What is the meaning behind the name?
2. What is your business purpose?
Try to sum up the goals + mission of your business in one sentence. Make sure to include who your ideal audience is, what your business has to offer, as well as how they benefit from your service/product.
3. What adjectives best describe your brand?
These words will cultivate the emotion that people get when interacting with your brand.
4. Why do you want a (new) logo + branding?
What do you want your new branding to accomplish?
5. Who is your ideal client / target audience?
Try to get specific! Are they a certain age or demographic? 6. What adjectives describe them? Where do they shop?
7. What makes your business unique? What do your clients love about collaborating with you?
8. What is your client / target audience’s most basic problem, that you have the solution for?
9. What are a few big goals you have for your business? How do you think you will expand in the future?
10. Where will your logo primarily be used? Print, web, merchandise?
If for web, for example, a horizontal logo works best.
11. How do you prefer your logo be worded or written out?
ex: New London (Integrated Solutions underneath) vs. MyNewLondon
12. Do you have a tagline? If so, would you like it stated alongside your logo?
13. Who are your competitors?
This allows you to better understand your market + competition. You want to make sure to steer away from a visual identity that is too similar to theirs. You have a unique brand, and you want to make sure you stay true to that.
14. Do you have any color preferences, or existing brand colors that need to remain?
Do you have any colors you want to steer away from?
15. What three brands do you love, and why?
Are they fun + whimsical, clean + professional, or sophisticated? Think in terms of your business, not just brands that you personally love. We need to make sure that your new visual identity best represents your business, and not just your personal style — although sometimes these are one in the same!
15. Do you have a preference on typography?
(ex: script, bold, light, hand drawn, custom lettering, etc.)
16. What areas of your current brand do you want to keep, if any at all? Please explain.
Happy Branding!