Day 3 ‘Mindful Marketing’ – Branding
Branding is more than just an image of a specific product or service that your customers connect with. It is the set of expectations, memories and relationships that account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another. And it is because of this that your brand is one of your most valuable assets. A strong brand can help you attract new customers, support a price premium over others and allow your customers to easily identify you over others.
Now that you have identified your target market – what look and feel do you think your target market will be drawn to and able identify with? It is important to also consider what look and feel you yourself are trying to portray to your target market.
So where do we begin? We all have our different creative processes but I like to begin with a mood board. Finding images, quotes and items that inspire and represent you – then you can start pinning them on a board (physical or digital) grouping like items. You may find that you are drawn to specific colours or even find a recurring theme through your board that you can use to start to develop your brand name, colour palate, font and logo. If something really stands out for you, take it and run with it!
When deciding on a brand name, look at your board for inspiration write down all the words that come to you. If you haven’t already got this from your mood board think about all the things that make you unique, all the things you love and what you are trying to sell to your customers. Even if you already have a name you are set on, i recommend keeping your mind open to other options. There are plenty of fabulous online tools to help you brainstorm brand names such as bubbl and Mindmeister or you can just do it the old fashioned way and pen and paper. Let your creative juices run free and make sure you have a few options you are happy with so that you can check if you can legally operate under the names you have chosen. In Australia you can check business name availability here and tips on how to name your business in the USA here.
Now you can move on to your colour palette. Hopefully your mood board would have helped you unveil colours you are drawn to. There are no real rules when it comes to colour palates, however it is important to remember that every colour has it’s own feeling and meanings – for example the colour red can represent love, passion and fire, however it can also mean death in some cultures or that something is on sale. A great tool you can use for colour matching and inspiration is Colour Hex. Ensure that your colour palette reflects your brand name and vice versa.
Once you’ve settled on your brand name and colour palette you can start to develop your logo. Your logo doesn’t necessary need to have an image, it could just be your brand name in a distinctive font. You can also choose to represent your brand just with a logo without your brand name. Depending on how advanced your graphic design skills are and what you are after you may want to consider getting your logo designed but a designer. A great place to look for a freelance designer is at Upwork. Designers can be expensive depending on their experience but if you have a descriptive brief with a clear idea with what you are after it can be quite affordable. Make sure you have looked at the designers portfolio to see if you resonate with their style.
Establishing consistent branding is important so that customers can easily identify you and understand what message you are trying to portray. When people are familiar with brands, they are more inclined to favour them. This creates a comfort and confidence in the product or service that the brand represents. It can also help differentiate the brand from the increasing number of competitors in a crowded marketplace. That’s why it is imperative that everything your portray to your customers, from the imagery you use to people you align with reflect your brand.
Join us tomorrow for Day 4 of Mindful Marketing where we will look at affordable ways to advertise.
Nourish Yoga 