Taking care of these crucial components sets your business up for branding success.
Have you ever visited a website then clicked away due to a poor user experience? What about going to a site for information then seeing conflicting info on another site? Mishaps like these might seem like no big deal, but they erode trust in a brand over time.
This is more important than you may think considering that 40% of consumers stop buying from brands due to a lack of trust.[1] And a big part of building that trust is accuracy and consistency in branding.
From things as simple as a logo and colors to more complex ideals like a mission statement or brand essence, building (and maintaining) trust with consumers is amongst the most important things a business can do.
Below we’ll explain why it’s so important, discuss the components of effective branding, and share some ways you can make these components work for your business.
Why is branding important?
Consumers are exposed to messages from businesses of all kinds every day. In order to stand out from the crowd, proper branding is essential.[2] Having a cohesive brand presence both online and off makes a business more recognizable, it serves to establish and build trust, and it can improve advertising by creating a consistent experience for audiences.
When branding essentials are expanded into a full-on brand story, the effect gets even more powerful. Customers want to connect with businesses about more than just the products they buy and sell—they want to know that a business’ values align with their own.
In fact, 86% of consumers expect businesses to take values-driven action beyond their products and services[1], including giving money to good causes, supporting local communities, and addressing societal challenges.
Ultimately, starting with a strong brand essence, mission statement, and voice then transforming those into a compelling brand story empowers relationships with customers, driving value into a business more quickly and effectively.
What are the components of effective branding?
When it comes to branding a business, everything from logos, colors, and typography to a brand’s very ethos must be considered. Connecting the dots between these elements from the beginning serves to create the most cohesive vision of a brand possible.
Brand ethos
Put simply: A brand’s ethos represents the characteristic spirit of that brand—what it stands for, what it’s trying to accomplish, and for whom. This overarching concept includes elements such as the brand’s mission statement, its values, and aspects like a brand’s essence as well.
Kira Karmazin, founder and CEO of KiraGrace says it best[3]:
“Think about your passion, purpose, and who you want to serve. The mission statement should transcend the product.”
Kira Karmazin
Founder and CEO of KiraGrace
Mission statement: A mission statement outlines an organization's vision, mission, and values. It should clearly answer what the purpose of the organization is, what issues they seek to solve in the world, and how their values guide their operations. A mission statement is important because it communicates to an organization's workforce, community, and external stakeholders what their organization stands for.
Values: An integral part of a brand’s mission and overall story, values represent the key principles that guide how a brand sees itself in the world (and how it does business). Values include everything from where a business sources its products and how it distributes them to how it treats its employees. Diversity, inclusion, sustainability, and other social responsibility factors are also considered in a brand’s values.
Brand essence: Brand essence is a short description—generally about three to five words—that describes a company’s fundamental nature. Not to be confused with a brand slogan, a brand essence seeks to define a company’s competitive advantage. An organization’s brand essence is often authentic to the brand and believable by both customers and their workforce. For instance, Nike’s brand essence is ʻAuthentic Athletic Performance.’ Their brand essence has influenced their company slogan ʻJust Do It’ and fully encompasses the distinctiveness of their brand.
Brand image
A brand’s image is the first touchpoint a potential customer may get. The logo, colors, and typography on a business’ website all convey something about the brand. What’s communicated can be both subtle and not so subtle depending on the intention.
The important thing to consider when establishing branding of your own is what it is you want communicated. Some logos look more authoritative and professional while others might strive to be playful and vibrant. Some may include a highly recognizable logo mark that carries the brand message purely on its own (think Nike or Apple).
Visual techniques like typography and colors also play a role in how consumers perceive a brand’s image. Some examples include lighter san serif fonts connoting modernity and freshness whereas serif fonts can be seen as more traditional and authoritative.
Additionally, the use of color psychology helps brands convey a message without ever saying a word. This technique is present in many forms of marketing, from brand colors and logos to advertisements and product packaging. For instance:
Red represents strong emotion, stimulates appetite, and symbolizes passion, love, and energy.
Yellow represents mental clarity, optimism, and promotes cheerfulness.
Blue represents serenity, creativity, and calmness. It can also stimulate a sense of trust and security.
Orange represents excitement and warmth while also evoking caution.
An example of a brand kit template from Canva (Source)
When thinking about these things for the first time, you may want help from software. Brand management tools often have features that aid in constructing brand kits that showcase your style. Having these elements all in one place helps maintain cohesion and consistency across online platforms.
Brand voice and tone
Finally, brand voice and tone are two facets that find themselves woven throughout the others. Wherever there are words, you’ll find voice and tone representing how that business speaks to its customers (and how the messages are received).
When developing your branding, first identify your brand’s personality so you can choose a voice and tone that typifies that personality. Do you want to be fun and playful? Do you want to convey expertise? Do you want your messaging to be warm and inviting?
All of these are great questions to ask yourself as you brainstorm so you can 1) use language that appeals to your target audience and 2) remain consistent no matter where someone finds your business—website, social media, email, branded materials, etc.
Narrow your search for branding agencies with our list of companies in the following areas:
Making these components successful for your business
There’s a lot to consider when building a brand for the first time, but it all boils down to who you are, what you stand for, and how you want to convey that message. First, focus on establishing your core values as a brand—mission statement, values, and essence—then seek to share those values using the other branding components.
If you approach this from a values-based perspective, striving to align your values with those of your customers, you can’t help but succeed. Establishing this meaningful connection and remaining consistent will establish and build trust in your brand.
Excited to get started but need a little help? Hiring a branding agency to guide you in the beginning may be a good call, and Karmazin agrees:
“Partner with a branding professional early. You’ll save time by working with someone who has experience in branding and creative assets.”
Finding the right branding agency is a task in and of itself, so here are some resources to help you get started: