Why You Need a Strong Brand Identity - Branding & Style Guide Success

Why You Need a Strong Brand Identity - 

Branding & Style Guide Success

When you start a business or begin the process of rebranding an existing business, you may assume many of the decisions you make along the way are arbitrary at best and won’t really make a difference. After all, can’t we just work off inspiration from whatever we feel in the moment? Well…yes and no. 

While there should always be room for creative spontaneity here and there, having a strong brand identity is a valuable resource that communicates a variety of things about your brand, both internally to your organization or business, as well as externally to your partners, affiliates and the general public.

What is a Brand?

If this sounds like a silly question, it’s probably because you’re thinking, “I already have a logo. Isn’t that my brand?” A logo is definitely an important launching pad for your business, but creating a brand is much more comprehensive. Simply put, a brand is a set of rules and guidelines for you and your employees to follow that creates a cohesive identity of your business through elements such as colors, typography, graphics, and overall tone.

Sound like a mouthful? Well, let’s break down some of the specific benefits of creating a brand guide for your business.

1. Staying Consistent Builds Trust

Whether we realize it or not, all of us automatically have more respect for a business that has consistency in their brand. When fonts, colors, and other aspects of presentation are constantly changing, it slowly breaks down a measure of trust in that company. Any time someone sees your business card or letterhead, visits your website or social media, or receives a physical piece of marketing material from your business, they are left with an impression of your company that is separate from the content, product, or service you offer. Brand consistency shows that you take pride in all aspects of what you do, even down to the details. This communicates a solid brand identity, which therefore builds trust in both current and potential clients.

2. Rules & Guidelines

Let’s say you already have a clear vision of your brand. You’ve been seeing it in your head for months, maybe years. It’s as clear as day…to you. It likely won’t be clear to your employees. And you may even forget parts of that vision as time goes on and different issues take priority in building your business. If only there was a way to create a reference manual of sorts that reminds you and your staff how to use your brand’s visual elements so there’s less confusion and inconsistency… Oh wait! There is! It’s called a branding and style guide.

As an example, check out just two pages of a brand guide we recently completed for a customer:

It includes dos and don’ts on how their logo should be displayed, down to the hex codes for their selected colors, as well as different graphics and textures they want to feature when they are needed. When it’s time to create anything that features this company’s logo or room for additional artwork, there’s never any need to guess or question how it should be done. Since everyone in the company will have this guide, this applies to new employees and those that have been with the company for years.

If you are a business owner or a seasoned employee who is often in a position where you have to train new employees, having a guide like this will make the training period so much easier for both you and the newbies. Anytime a question arises about company aesthetic presentation, you can refer them to the branding guide. In time, your team should have the guidelines down cold, which greatly reduces confusion and increases productivity.

3.Focus!

Few businesses can succeed when they’re constantly having to reinvent themselves every few months. Whether you’re starting a new business or embarking on a re-brand, it’s all too easy to lose focus of your target market/audience in the midst of introducing new products and services. This is when your brand starts to get watered down and unclear. Having a brand guide - which should include your company’s mission statement - helps keep you and your employees focused and aiming your time and resources wisely.

Who Needs a Brand & Style Guide?

Every business needs a brand, and every brand benefits from a brand and style guide. Are you an established business who is looking to re-brand? A brand and style guide will help you and your team make the transition as easy as possible. 

Keeping your brand streamlined and consistent empowers it to become immediately recognizable to your target market/audience, which will earn the respect of clients and ultimately give your business the shot in the arm it needs to grow and thrive. At AMST, business growth is our bread and butter. Interested in putting together a brand and style guide for your business? We want to help! Read more about our brand design services to learn about the process. Our designers can’t wait to work with you!