As a creative communications agency that has survived and thrived for 4 decades, we know that two important roots of a strong brand are:
A Strong Brand Identity
Many businesses struggle to understand the value of professional branding, due to tight budgets or assuming a brand is “just a logo.” They may ask a non-designer friend, colleague, co-worker or family member to design it; or go to a website and purchase a generic logo. Either route is often not professional enough; work is not unique to the brand; not created in correct format for multi-use purposes; use on different platforms is not considered; legibility compromised in certain applications; brand look doesn’t reflect company values; design won’t be timeless; and most importantly, broader brand identity is not considered.
Professional creative firms are educated and experienced in creating a full, comprehensive brand identity that includes so much more than a logo, one that develops and evolves with your business and with the times. Starting with this strong foundation keeps your brand on solid ground as it grows.
A Strong Brand Internally
Companies can neglect to develop internal brand communication strategies. Between mergers, employee attrition/turnover, or on-boarding without brand education, opportunities are lost to build a strong internal culture that supports and promotes their brand. An internal brand program can include brand guidelines all employees should know and follow, templates for internal correspondence, a mission statement, elevator speech and a unified company description provided to employees for Linked-In profiles.
A company’s brand is built from the inside out by engaging employees and management, creating across-the-board cohesive messaging, strengthening internal communications, and getting everyone on the same page. A strong brand internally creates a strong brand externally.