You’ve got your services, your mission statement, your logo, and your website…but something’s missing. Each of these pieces can stand on their own. But do they work together to tell the story of who you are and why it matters? Do they stand out in your intended audience’s mind when they think of you? Are they cohesive in a way that makes folks confident about who they’re working with?
This is where brand identity comes into play. Brand identity is the collection of everything you put out into the world about yourself. Besides your services, mission statement, logo, and website, it can also include things like reputation, reviews, and style of writing. Think of it as a storybook all about your organization!
If you opened a storybook with a picture of a dragon on the cover, you would expect a story about a dragon. You’d be pretty confused if page one featured an account of the moon landing. And even more so if the next page was entirely made up of technical drawings for building an engine! The same is true when it comes to all of the pieces that make up your brand identity.
Taking time to plan how all of the parts of your brand fit together will pay off in the long run. A cohesive brand identity creates something that is memorable and easily identifiable to your various constituencies. In turn, you can build trust, engage more supporters, and further your reach.
A few things to consider:
- First things first. Think about your brand pillars. Why do you do what you do? What makes you stand out? How do you want others to perceive you? These will give you the structure behind your brand. Refer back to these every time you create a new type of communication—it will ensure that everything you put out there tells a cohesive story. Need help establishing your pillars? Reach out to Sunny Side Creative and we’ll help you get started!
- Do all of your calls to action and marketing materials lead to the same place? Ideally, they should all use similar language and lead to your website to build trust.
- Speaking of language, does it reflect your brand’s voice? Whether you seek to be the friendly neighborhood resource or the established expert in your field, your voice should reflect who you are and who you want to reach in everything you create.
- Are you using branded templates? Creating (and regularly using) brand templates helps audiences quickly identify you and reinforces a sense of consistency and trust. Creating something new every time you want to communicate to your audience can lead to disjointed messaging and an unclear visual identity. In turn, that relays a sense of muddiness and disorganization about your brand, leaving potential constituents wondering if you have a clear vision about who you are and how you can help them.
These checkpoints are a great way to get started on a brand audit. Ready for a deep dive or maybe even a rebrand? Reach out to us today to get started!
