How to Create a Cohesive Brand

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Collaborative Post
• 31.12.21
• Blog, Branding

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Building a cohesive brand is one of the most important things you can do for your business.

One thing I see a lot of businesses doing is using random colours, fonts or photos that they like for their brand. This causes people to not be able to identify your brand or connect with it.

Whether you are a new business owner with a small budget or someone who sincerely enjoys all things design and marketing, it IS possible for you to design a beautiful and strategic visual identity for your business.

You can showcase your brand in a beautiful, engaging, and cohesive way across your marketing platforms. WHICH WILL HELP YOU CONNECT WITH YOUR AUDIENCE + GAIN THEIR TRUST AND LOYALTY

I’m sharing my best tips for building a cohesive visual brand. Some of these may surprise you… it’s not all about your logo!

How to Create a Cohesive Brand

1. Research Your Target Market

The first task is to discover who your ideal client is and is not. This is the person who will feel excited when they see your new post on Instagram or stop you while you’re working at an event and say they’ve been following your work. Your ideal client should want to work with you specifically because they feel like they know you and trust your brand.

The second research task is to review and audit your existing branding. Pull out everything you have created for your brand (both printed and digital)—business cards, postcards, templates, social media profile photos, etc. Ask yourself: does this all look like it came from the same brand? Does each piece standing alone represent my brand? Does it all make sense when put together?

PRO TIP: Don’t just think about your answers… actually write them out!

There’s something about taking the time to put it on paper (or in a Google Doc for your techy people) that helps you work through your thoughts and ideas to solidify your brand foundation in a way that sticks. This way, you can also refer back to the document at any time.

2. Choose Visual Elements

To create a cohesive brand that appeals to your ideal client, you want to select a font (or style of font), specific colours, a logo, and other visual components. When selecting a font for your brand, pick one that is readily available across many platforms (MS Word, Apple Pages, WordPress, Google Fonts, etc.) so that it is always available. Also, have similar alternatives picked out for when your first choice is not available on a platform. During this step, you may decide that you need to create a new logo, update your font choice, take a new headshot, or change something else that doesn’t quite fit.

AN EXAMPLE OF A CURATED MOOD BOARD THAT I CREATE FOR CLIENTS:
You’ll see colour palettes included below… this part of your process is a great time to solidify your branding colours since they play such a big role in communicating your vibe and evoking emotions in your audience.

3. Create a Style Guide

Now that you have chosen your colours (be sure to include a colour swatch and design codes), font, logo, and more. Write it all down and put it somewhere where others can find it (such as Google Drive). This brand guide will help to make sure that the visual pieces of your brand are always cohesive. If you have staff or contractors (such as a Graphic Designer), this will help them create cohesive work that accurately represents your brand and voice.

EXAMPLES OF CLIENT LOGO SUITES THAT ARE TYPOGRAPHIC, TIMELESS, AND VERSATILE:

4. Update Everything

Once you have done all this hard work, be sure to put it to use. Use your logo and brand colours to update your templates for letterheads, business cards, documents, proposals, your website, etc.

Although these steps seem simple enough, you shouldn’t underestimate their impact on your audience. Though, you haven’t finished building your brand yet. Branding is a constant process that can change with time as you become more attuned to your customers’ needs. That said, you’ll want to be sure that the foundation you’ve laid for your brand is sturdy and cohesive. You can always make changes later if needed.

Make sure that every element of your brand works together. Your logo and colour palette represent your brand personality. Your content reinforces your values and messaging, and your audience is at the centre of it all. Stay consistent, and your business will grow from a new company into a memorable and successful brand.

Together, let's
Build Your Brand's Identity.

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