A brand designer will help a client think strategically in order to create an effective identity that will enable them to thrive in a fierce marketplace. Done well, the design of a brand can help gain trust and enhance reputation.

Understanding how business ideals can be reflected in a brand identity, and how that brand identity affects a consumer, is vital.

What’s in a brand?

At consumer level branding is more important now than ever. Increasing numbers of customers have higher expectations and the positive messages conveyed through a brand identity can help captivate an audience and express values instantly.

This is why it is essential to approach a branding exercise from the perspective of a customer – the crux of long term branding success.

In order to establish their values a company might ask itself a range of questions: what do we believe in? What does our brand say about us? And more importantly, what does my customer say about my brand?

This approach of considering the end customer will encourage appropriate company naming, strengthen a brand identity and ensure the successful development of a brand across a range of material. Ultimately, it can influence the sale of a product or service.

Communicating a brand message

When it comes to buying, customers consistently lean towards brands that they believe in or are familiar with. It is therefore important to be coherent with a brand image and message to ensure a customer either recognises it, or puts trust in it.

As you increase your customer base and grow your business, how you answer customers’ demands and expectations will reveal your business ethics.

Regular, consistent communication, with emphasis on a customer’s needs, is fundamental to the creation of a positive brand image and lasting impression. A structured yet imaginative approach that involves publishing interesting articles, stories and news should surround a strong brand and reflect its values and actions. This consistent drip-feed of information over a period of time can drive your brand forward in a positive way.

Monitoring a brand

Finally, it’s important to monitor a brand image and analyse its effectiveness on a regular basis. Ask questions that can help identify weaknesses or strengths and provide a basis for action: does the brand image continue to be relevant? Does it stand out against the competition? And is it still viewed as being dynamic in the marketplace?

When equipped with knowledge about its brand image, a company can ensure that the identity remains creative, memorable and recognizable and be on its way to creating a successful image that creates opportunities.

After all, what your customers say about your brand is more powerful than what you say about it.

About the author

Sarah Jane Robertson runs Creative State, a branding, design and communications company based in Leeds and Edinburgh. Sarah has almost a decade of experience in the marketing and creative industries and provides expert design services to all types of companies from small enterprise to large scale operations.

Starting out her career in-house with the Royal London group, Sarah progressed onto working with a top Edinburgh agency to handle brand names such as Scottish & Newcastle and Warburtons.

Since setting up Creative State Sarah has dedicated herself to assisting small to medium sized enterprises with developing lasting brand awareness and successful websites, and has also worked with large enterprises such as the Hyatt Regency Hotel group and the Universities of Edinburgh and Napier.