Establishing Your Brand to Build Long-Term Value for Your Firm
by David Dresen, Director of Design, Logoworks by HP
A Brand. Just what is the big deal anyway? I’m just a small start up, with really no imaginary dreams of becoming the next monster law firm. I just want to have a nice little….blah, blah, blah.
So, you’ve broken away form the “cubicle”, and are starting your own firm. I would like to talk to you about how you’re going to brand your firm. The encyclopedia explains the meaning of a brand, far better than I can, and uses much more eloquent words;
[A brand includes a name, logo, slogan, and/or design scheme associated with a product or service. Brand recognition and other reactions are created by the use of the product or service and through the influence of Advertising, design, and media commentary. A brand is a symbolic embodiment of all the information connected to the product and serves to create associations and expectations around it. A brand often includes a logo, fonts, color schemes, symbols, and sound, which may be developed to represent implicit values, ideas, and even personality.]
I want to cover a few key elements of this description.
No where in this description, did it say that a brand was the logo!! I want to make sure everyone understands this. Your logo is not your brand. It can be the start of one, and may be included in such branding, but by itself it’s not a brand. As stated above, the brand includes, or may include the logo, colors, symbols etc.
Your logo however is the cornerstone of your business identity. It will appear on your signs, business cards, stationary, advertising, and other promotional material. In short, it’s critical to your business to have a professional, memorable logo that accurately reflects you and your firm. HP offers a service called Logoworks by HP http://www.logoworks.com/about-logoworks.html. HP has created a unique business model designed to eliminate the hassles and uncertainty of traditional logo design.
The design of your peripherals is vital in establishing that strong brand. Everything associated with your company should say the same thing. Whether it is the use of fonts, colors, or design itself, your image should be repeated. The only way for a company to become branded is through visibility and repetition. I’m not just talking about seeing it either. You don’t need to have millions in financial backing to successfully market your product or service. Advertising is accomplished in many ways, and not all include paying for air time, or printed advertisements. Word of mouth can be extremely beneficial and effective in spreading your brand as well. Starbucks is a company that used almost no advertising, but had great design, and over a period of ten years developed such a strong brand that the company went from one shop to thousands.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t use a marketing company. On the contrary, it is vital for you to seek out any professional help you can. Word of mouth alone will not be sufficient to establish yourself. Your design on everything from the business cards you hand out to the packaging of your products, and the hangtags on your shirts will say something about your company. Even the airtime you use on the radio should help strengthen your brand. Don’t underestimate the importance of seeking professional guidance in establishing a great brand. Establishing successful brand value can translate to greater market demand for your service as well as a way to maintain longevity of higher revenue. For example, I’ll use some common products we can all relate to. Water is free, yet we as consumers are willing to pay $2 or more depending upon how the water is packaged or marketed. A pound of coffee is typically $4.99, yet for Starbucks we are willing to pay $10 for the same pound of coffee. Why? Brand.
It can make all the difference in determining whether you’ll become the next Starbucks (for example). As Howard Schultz would say;A great brand raises the bar — it adds a greater sense of purpose to the experience, whether it’s the challenge to do your best in sports and fitness, or the affirmation that the cup of coffee you’re drinking really matters.” – Howard Schultz (CEO, Starbucks Corp.)
Filed under: 2009 Conference
