Branding: Establish a Logo and Slogan to Boost Exposure

Take a look at your business cards, website, social media profiles and advertisements. If you don't see a consistent design theme throughout these platforms, you might be doing more harm than good. Most businesses have these components, but only some establish a brand. Viewers should recognize your brand no matter the platform they see it on. With a relevant brand, your tweets will bolster your print advertisements, and your website will be that more relevant.

The largest businesses in the world use a consistent template to build their brands. Nike has the swoosh accompanied by "Just Do It." State Farm has its triad accompanied by, "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there." The common denominator: logos and slogans. A logo and a slogan are the pillars of a consistent brand, as Branding Strategy Insider highlights. Boil your business down to one message and icon to create a deep association. These two components will take your brand to new heights.

Building Your Brand

It's difficult to build a brand without knowledge of where you are and where you're going. If you can't crystallize a message, take a step back and imagine where you want your company to go. Your company's current health will determine how much money you have to invest in a brand update. Accounting software, such as Quickbooks, can help you lay out expenses and set a budget for graphic designers, logo creation tools, or any other brand building costs. Your slogan should be a compact statement that communicates your purpose, strategy or philosophy. This line has a number of uses. It's ideal for business cards, but it also can serve as the title tag of your website. Users should see this slogan when they log on to your social media platforms.

As you build a logo, consider your audience and industry. If you market to professionals in the 45-65 age range, a traditional text-based logo might be more effective. If you're a retailer seeking to attract younger viewers, a eye-popping graphic could set you apart from the crowd. Inspiration for logos is all around you. As the Winter Olympics begin, viewers will have the Sochi's modern logo etched into their brains. Olympic logos usually feature region-specific typography with a dash of color—a successful template to keep in mind.

Design Tips

As you build your brand's aesthetic, focus on the fundamentals that carry over across platforms. Color scheme, type face and logo all add to the perception of your brand. With a few tips from Web Design Depot, keep these dos and don'ts in mind when you hit the drawing board:

Do:

• Use both text and images. You're trying to raise awareness about your brand name (text), and consumers respond to creative content (images).
• Maintain a consistent color scheme on all platforms. Especially at the beginning, consumers should associate your brand with a color as soon as they see your brand.

Don't:

• Use more than two types of typography on an ad. It looks unprofessional and cluttered. If you need to differentiate texts, use bolder thickness and greater font size.

Advertising Tips

Once your brand is set, it's time to share it with the world. These advertising dos and don't will help grow your brand.

Do:

• Roll out your new brand design all at once. Consumers from various platforms will notice the update and wonder what the buzz is about.
• Explore new ways to advertise, whether it's a fresh new platform or an overlooked traditional method.

Don't:

• Make your social media profile all about you. Social media is a give-and-take conversation. Users will see through your shameless plugs.
• Use advertising methods that you can't track. Advertising is a trial-and error game. Without campaign data, you'll be shooting in the dark.

Need help on creating a logo for your new or existing business?  Krissart Marketing Design can help. Fill out our logo design form for a free quote.