When it comes to launching a startup, we know that concepts like visual identity and brand experience command significant energy and resources from entrepreneurs and their founding teams.
As a Nashville branding agency in the thick of a thriving small business community, we see it all. And when it comes to launching a startup, we know that concepts like visual identity and brand experience command significant energy and resources from entrepreneurs and their founding teams.
The problem is that they rarely emphasize the appropriate elements of the brand identity. As a result, these startups end up sowing a ton of time and resources into investments that will ultimately fail to yield a productive crop.
But you don’t have to make their same mistakes. By shifting your focus, you can dig deeper and plant the right seeds in the right soil at precisely the right time.
How to Look Beyond the Logo and Establish a Brand Identity
There are boring business tasks, and then there are fun, exciting, and invigorating business tasks. Accounting falls under the put-me-to-sleep heading. Logo design? Now that’s got a little more spice to it.
Designing a logo is fun and rewarding. Whether you do it in-house or hire it out to a full service marketing agency, there’s something empowering about constructing a visual identity from the ground up. And the logo is essentially your brand experience boiled down into one clean symbol.
The problem is that logo design might be a little too fun.
It’s easy to get laser-focused on designing the perfect logo - tweaking individual pixels dozens of times before ultimately zeroing in on the perfect blend of elements. You start dreaming of how it’ll look on your website...business cards...coffee mugs...and t-shirts. Before you realize it, you’ve forgotten about the rest of the brand identity.
And that’s a major mistake.
While the logo is important, it’s just one small part of the overall brand experience. If you want to architect an image that reaches and engages your target audience, you need to go deeper.
More specifically, you need to focus on two foundational pillars:
Pillar #1: Your Value Proposition
One of the first things you need to uncover/create is your value proposition. But not just any value proposition will do. It needs to be clean, simple, and highly-focused.
Most value propositions occur at a 30,000-foot level. But you want one that’s hovering just above the ground. You can’t be all things to all people...nor should you try. By zeroing in on a very specific value point, you stand a much better chance of resonating with your audience.
The best way to understand this is by looking at an illustration. Consider a hypothetical law firm.
A generic value proposition would look like this:
We’re an experienced group of lawyers specializing in family law, DUIs, personal injuries and car accidents. When you work with us, you get the representation and respect you deserve, without having to pay expensive retainers and outrageous legal fees.
Now contrast that with a specific value proposition:
We’ll keep your record clean without forcing you to pull out a second mortgage on your house.
Both of these statements essentially say the exact same thing. But which one is clear and compelling? Most would agree the second value proposition packs a stronger punch.
Clarity is everything in branding. Start with a clear value proposition and everything else will fall into place.
Pillar #2: Your Voice
Once you have your value proposition in your back pocket, you can turn your focus to your voice.
In the simplest terms, your voice is your brand’s distinct personality as communicated to the marketplace. This includes a variety of elements, such as grammar, word choice, and tone.
When crafting your brand voice, it’s best to think of your brand as a person. By humanizing it with specific characteristics and personality traits, you bring it to life.
Once you identify this voice, you must document it. This is the key to consistency. Because once you have a documented brand voice, you can hire/outsource content and design work without worrying about costly deviations.
Twice Social: Your Nashville Branding Agency
Building a brand requires you to go more than skin deep. And while logos certainly play a valuable role in establishing a compelling visual identity, they’re just one part of the overall brand experience.
Twice Social is a Nashville branding agency that prioritizes holistic branding for startups and small businesses alike. As a full service marketing agency, we’re able to do more than just design a logo or create a catchy slogan. We have the internal resources to help you build a brand from the ground up.
Please get in touch and we’d be happy to bounce around some ideas for your brand!
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