At Hey Design we do a lot of branding projects for entrepreneurs but when I particularly say I’m in branding that usually opens up more questions than it answers. Inspired by the Condensed publication we have created this quick guide to branding for entrepreneurs. If you are one of those who are not sure what I mean by “branding” then read on and you will see in a nutshell what we do and how we can help you in designing for your startup.
Naming
Your brand´s name must be:
- Unique and memorable
- Registrable (I know you want that ® next to your logo)
- Hopefully with a short domain available (Ex: kika.com is better than kika-shoes.com)
Value Proposition
Yes, it is also an important part -very important by the way – of branding to define your value proposition:
- What are you offering that is new/good (intangible).
- What is the “soul” of the venture?
- Define your characteristics
- Mission / vision / purpose
Positioning
By this I am not referring exclusively to getting on the first page of Google. Instead, to the place your brand will occupy in the market and in the minds of your audience.
- Market research
- Being unique versus being competitive
- What is your value proposition? How are you different from the competition?
- Why are you better than others?
Message and Voice
- What you say and how you say it
- Tell a unique story
- Speak to your audience in their language and in their tone.
- Your tone conveys your personality (You as a brand. Not you, entrepreneur)
- It’s not about advertising or slogans, it’s about EVERYTHING you say.
Visual Identity
This is where everyone thinks we focus and in a way is our strength, however as you can see it is only one part of branding. OJO EL ENLACE DIC ART NO EXISTE
- Logo
- Color palette
- Typography
- Illustrations, icons, patterns
- Photographic language
If you still have doubts about what your venture or startup needs, contact us!