Every business owner should be able to completely know and understand their brand. A lot of entrepreneurs disregard this and end up making some blatant brand-related mistakes, such as using an ill-designed logo, not maintaining regular brand efforts, or not being completely transparent and honest about their products.

But perhaps the worst mistake they can make is having a poorly defined brand identity, or not defining it at all. And yet, so many businesses have fallen into this trap because they thought the quality of their products or services would be enough.

Spoiler alert: it isn’t!

Why is it so important? Think about it this way: you’re going on a first date with someone you really like, and you want to win them over. Of course, you’ll be making efforts and you’ll be dressing in a certain way, choosing certain activities, and overall, you’ll be on your best behavior. Essentially, you’ll be creating a persona to help this person see that you are worth dating.

Well now, think of your audience as this person. Your brand identity’s job is to wow them and win them over. In the same way, you’ll try to charm a person on a first date, your brand will help attract customers and retain them because there is nothing more important for a business than making a great first impression.

Keeping this in mind, here are five important tips to follow in order to come up with an effective brand identity design.

1.   Think of it as selling your brand, not your products or services

Product-centric marketing is not trendy anymore. Today, consumers care more about your image than your products. Let’s take as an example the cosmetics company The Body Shop. Sure, other companies offer nicer products, but The Body Shop not only sells their cosmetics, but they also sell a whole brand idea. Buying from them means being ecologically responsible, as this is a cruelty-free brand that doesn’t test on animals.

Today, you’ve got less than 20 seconds to win over your customers, and this is definitely not long enough to show how great your products are. What will make get you sales is the image you cultivate as a brand, so make sure it’s a great one!

2.   Your brand design should reflect what your business really is

Sure, you should definitely think about what your audience wants to see, but don’t let that keep you from being true to yourself and your company’s values. Who you are as a business should be the only thing dictating your marketing and branding strategies.

For example, if you’re a company that specializes in app development, high-end technology, your website, and social media should be just as sleek.

It might seem like a small decision, but it is the one thing that helps create an honest, authentic, and agreeable relationship with your audience.

3.   You are only as good as what you invest in

So don’t invest in a cheap copy or design. A professional logo design especially is a must. A logo is the first thing that comes to mind when people think about a certain brand, so make sure yours is unique and well-designed.

Your art and copy play a huge role in defining who you are as a brand, so don’t let that definition be “cheap” or “confusing”.

A great example of a logo design that works perfectly with a company’s image is Apple’s logo. Just like the company’s products, Apple’s logo is monochrome, minimalistic, and sleek. So, invest in professional work, and you’ll get an attractive design that will help your brand outshine the competition.

4.   You can always go through a rebrand and come out stronger

Going through a rebranding strategy doesn’t mean you’re giving up, and there is nothing wrong with it. Even the biggest companies make mistakes, and many multinational businesses have been through quite a few rebrands.

Rebranding is not just done to correct mistakes, but also to reposition yourself in the market, or advertise your new image. Rebranding helps you understand your audience and your market even better, so it’s definitely not a bad idea to go through it.

5.   Never ever resort to artificial stunts

Finally, no matter how hopeless you feel, never ever resort to cheap gimmicks. If you feel like your brand identity is not where it should be, no amount of social media promos, SEO strategies, or quirky blog articles will help. Instead, go back to Tip #4 and give it a thought.

Now that you have our tips, which one are you going to start with?

Author Bio

Emily Woodward is a digital marketing executive who follows her passion for writing via freelance work.