About the Author
Eilidh Dunsire
Resident brand strategist, designer, creative solution finder & ice cream appreciator.
If you are launching a start-up or have just started a new company and are about to start your branding journey (or your existing company is about to undergo a rebrand), this post is for you.
To get your project started on the right path, you should know the answer to these questions. Your answers will help your designer create a brand identity that lives up to your vision, and places your brand in the best light for your target audience to relate to and connect with your message.
About your brand and audience / customers:
- What is the full brand name?
Consistency is key! Your brand name shouldn't vary. Make sure you know how it will appear, with capitalisations and punctuation as they should appear and all.
- What is your mission statement?
You probably already have this, and it's useful info for your brand designer to pull in insight about your brand.
- Describe your brand in 3 words:
Describing your brand in three words is useful in establishing the voice and personality e.g. Dunclyde is hip, hot & human (rhyming and alliteration not required).
- Which end of the scale? Imagine these words are on a sliding scale (0 - 10), and identify where you see your brand sitting on each.
A. Affordable -> expensive
B. Playful -> serious
C. Minimal -> quirky
- What makes your brand stand out from your competitors? And why do your customers love your brand?
(Why would your customers pick YOU over someone else?) Your USP or differentiating feature could be the most important thing to communicate in your branding.
Pre-existing opinions:
You might have a favourite colour in mind, or a certain style of font you want to be used in your logo, these could be great insights and you should absolutely pass your thoughts on to your designer, but at the same time you should be prepared to let go of these if need be.
Your brand is a reflection of your company and product, and it is more important for your customers to love and connect with it than your personal preference. You are likely on the same wavelength as your customers so it's natural that you probably will closely relate, but keep in mind that this might not always match up, and a good designer will always try to create a brand that will appeal to customers rather than clients.