The Beginner's Guide to Branding

This guest post was written by Creative Market, a platform for handcrafted, mousemade design content from independent creatives around the world.

Branding is a key part of success for any business. However, new entrepreneurs sometimes struggle to create a consistent and attractive brand for their business. A new e-book from Creative Market, titled “The Beginner’s Guide to Branding,” explains how to establish a strong brand that can carry your business to success. The e-book is free to download, but here’s a short preview of what’s inside.

Introduction to Branding

Your brand is a combination of the elements that define your business. These include your slogan, logo, business ethos and motto. The first step in defining a brand is to decide on a name.

As “The Beginner’s Guide to Branding” explains in detail, you need to brainstorm different names, come up with a shortlist of names around each of which you could build a brand, and then settle on the perfect option. And if you’re feeling uninspired, online name generators can help you come up with brand name ideas.

Creating a Brand Identity

Your brand identity is the visual aspect of your brand. This includes your logo, which must be memorable and present on all your branded items, including your website, products and marketing materials.

Creating a consistent brand means considering other visual elements, such as your color palette and the fonts you use. Keep these consistent to create a strong brand that remains in the mind of your audience. Use a color wheel to find colors that work well together and combine them according to key principles of graphic design, as described in the Creative Market e-book.

Finding Your Voice

The strongest brands speak in a voice that matches that of their audience. Are you trying to appeal to younger or older people? Men or women? Individuals or corporations? Answering these questions will help you define your brand voice.

Think about the kind of language you use in your marketing materials, signage and slogan, as well as on your social media profiles. Does it convey the image that you want to associate with your brand?

For example, if you are trying to convey a very slick, professional image, then you need to use formal language, even on social media, and steer clear of slang or anything that could be construed as controversial. If your brand is about creativity, fun and youth, then more informal, chatty language could be appropriate.

Using Your Brand

Once you have established your brand, you need to ensure you use it in all aspects of your business. Every page of your website needs to display your logo, and use your fonts and color palette. All content, including text and video, must use your brand voice. Even error messages and notifications can be branded to allow your brand’s personality to shine through.

Updating Your Brand

As your business grows, your brand may need to evolve to keep pace with your developing customer base. If your products or services change, consider whether you also need to update your brand. Rebranding can help you stay in touch with a changing customer base and can refresh a brand that is failing to attract attention.

To find out more about creating a brand, download Creative Market’s new e-book. Discover how to choose a brand name, how to create a clear voice and identity, and how to apply your brand to every aspect of your business.