Why Branding is Worth It

When it comes to branding, many businesses just want a brand to look good, but there is more to a brand than looks—just like there is more to a person than what clothes they wear. As appealing as it is to look good, it’s important for a brand to have personality, heart and authenticity. We can look at brands like relationships in this way: talking to someone who looks nice on the outside but can’t hold a conversation won’t keep your attention for long but talking to someone who shows up authentically and relates with you on a deeper level creates a lasting connection. People can sense when something is authentic because it speaks to a deeper part of them. Looking at a brand holistically starts by building a strong foundation from the ground up that’s rooted it in authenticity and tells a story.

In my own design practice, there are three key elements of branding that are important to consider. These three elements are: clarifying your purpose, creating your environment and crafting your brand. The visual aspect of a brand doesn’t come into play until the third stage because it’s important to grow the roots of the brand in the first two stages.

Clarifying your purpose is the primary stage of brand development and it’s about digging deep and reconnecting to the why. What is the driving force behind your business? and what value does it bring to the world? If the person behind the business isn’t passionate about the work they do, this will directly translate into the quality of their business. This stage is largely focused on tapping into the heart of the business. It includes brainstorming, concept development, gathering inspiration and auditing the existing brand. We will also look at the goals and aspirations of the business owner to make sure this aligns. This stage is about getting crystal clear on what you want for your business.

Now that we have pinpointed a goal and direction, it’s time to fine tune the messaging of your business and structure how we will communicate this to your audience. In this stage, we lay the groundwork for your business and move into brand strategy. It’s important to define your core values, business goals and mission statement along with finding your target audiences, market gap opportunities and top competitors. This stage is about creating the best environment for your brand to grow. It is an analytical and strategy focused phase but will always stick to the root of the insights we gathered in clarifying your purpose.

The last stage consists of the visual brand work that ties everything together. We now have a clear purpose and and have created the right environment for your business to thrive. In this stage, we will craft a beautiful visual identity that builds off of the groundwork we have set down. Crafting a brand is about personality, cohesiveness and uniqueness. We want the brand to feel like you and for all the brand elements to work together as a whole. We also want your brand to stand out, so if someone were to see an element of your brand somewhere, they would recognize it. Your brand will also be structured with growth in mind. A brand guidelines is included in the final handoff so you will be able to continue bringing new ideas and elements into your business that are in line with your brand.

Overall, these three stages go hand-in-hand to help your brand thrive. Getting clear on your purpose is what will power your business. Creating the right environment is what will set you up to reach your target audiences. The crafting of your brand is what ties everything together by expressing your value and personality while creating an emotional connection with your customer. Think of it like this: the purpose is the fuel, the environment is the road and the brand is the car— you need all three to be able to get where you want to be.

The value of a brand identity is huge. There is a high return on investment and it positions your business to attract and connect with its most prized audiences. Brand recognition cuts down on marketing costs down the road and helps you to stand out from competition. Many clients find that after a new brand reveal, not only are they growing their business faster, but they also feel a stronger sense of credibility and courage to put their product/service out into the world.

If you are just starting your business and looking to create a brand identity or you are already established and are looking for a brand identity refresh, reach out to chat about how I can assist you in upgrading your business. You can email me at contact@hayleybarile.com or visit my services page.

♥ Best, Hayley