What The Heck is Branding?
In this post, we're going to lay out the basics of branding and its importance.
Many think branding is just a cool logo and you're good to go. It's much more than that, our friends. It's what goes into the logo, for sure, but there's more depth and intention behind it.
What we're about to throw down about branding:
crucial core values
colors & why they matter
words & messaging in marketing
visuals & optics
the character of fonts
How I found success in branding:
To be real, I didn't get the power of branding until I started to brand myself as an actor in my work with Jodie Bentley (The Actor's Branding System). She has a powerful, robust, & direct system that helps you get clear on your brand as an actor/creative and broadcast it to the right people in the industry. I was able to define my essence, colors, fonts, and messaging associated with who I am as an actor (and human) and effectively communicate that to reach the right people. My results? Casting directors, directors, agents, and managers immediately got what I was about. The best part is I have a team of managers & an agent that gets me 100% and pitch me for the right opps! If you're also an actor+ I cannot recommend working with Jodie enough. I attribute a huge chunk of my success to her & always point my best of friends to her for the clarity & success they're seeking!
Alright, let's get into this branding stuff for your business (or you!).
Branding is everything from the colors you choose to represent your brand to the verbiage you use on any written copy (think emails, web pages, blog, captions, the like). There is INTENTION behind all of it.
Start with Core Values
First up, identify your brand's core values. The values are the building blocks of your brand out of which everything will flow. See, if you decide that your brand is rooted in quality, excellence, and achievement that will display very differently than if your brand is rooted in sustainability, innovation, and impact. In fact, take a gander at some qualities & values you feel drawn to with your brand and how you'll ultimately want your audience to perceive you. In other words, our contemporary comrades, your core values are the vibe of your brand.
Colors & why they matter
Colors carry specific emotions & energy which you want to be cognizant of to determine which ones personify your brand. For example, many in the financial space will use green as one of their colors because it signifies wealth, prosperity, growth and if they're also approaching it from a spiritual POV, it represents the heart chakra and healing. There's so much interesting science & psychology behind colors that it makes it fun to choose them so your audience perceives you as you intend. If you need help with color combos for your brand we love coolors & use it often for color palette ideation for different projects/businesses.
Say what? Words & Messaging
Another crucial aspect is your brand voice. Based on your values, your mission, and the problem your brand is solving, how would your brand talk if it was (or is) a person? What language is congruent? Do you or your brand speak academically or casually? Seriously or humorously? Caring or snarky? In other words, does the language align with what your brand is about? If it's disconnected, it's not going to land with your target audience or the people you want to get it. This branding book does an awesome job in breaking down how to connect with your audience through messaging & design and creating fired up believers in your brand.
Optics are everything
Something else to consider is how does/will your brand present visually? Will it look current or nostalgic in your materials? Will it look futuristic, gritty, or glow-y based off of your identifiers? Think about this...how would you communicate qualities without words?
Fonts have character
Fonts also play an important visual role. What shapes/design of the fonts display your values, voice, and compliment the energy of the colors? This part takes a discerning eye for design. In fact much of this process does and it's ok to employ help. In fact, we recommend it. You have a lot to do & other areas of your biz to apply your genius to, let us help you make this part easier (& fun!). Book 30 min free!
The Difference
Once we truly applied these branding concepts (for myself with acting & for our biz) we saw huge shifts in how we were connecting with people. Our branding was able to speak for us before the initial conversation- people just got us immediately. It was like a Houdini magic trick-they knew us before we introduced ourselves. And in this busy, noisy, attention-grabbing world, you need to make it easy & efficient for people to connect with your brand.
Whether you're an actor+creative & need assistance on getting crystal clear with your brand through Jodie Bentley's The Actor's Branding System or creative business owner & need a helping hand with branding & visibility through digital marketing, we're happy to be a resource (book your free 30 min consult here)! We're excited to see your creativity come to life through branding & be a part of the process. Let's get it.
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