Brand is more than a Logo
As Richer Solution is turning four, it seems like an appropriate time to tell you about my passion for branding as well as the role it’s played in the growth of my business.
Are you sitting comfortably? I shall begin. Let’s be clear. Your brand is more than a logo. It’s more than a particular colour or a tone of voice – although these can be elements. It’s a complex mix of values, personality and identity. This is an area of business that I love working in. There’s something amazing about digging into a business, finding the DNA and understanding how to communicate it best.
Now the latest version of the Richer Solutions brand does have a rather nice logo and if you look carefully you’ll see it’s more than a fancy R (because a good logo is more than just an image). There’s an embedded diamond (because looking for the hidden gem in your business is something that’s important to me). You might also see that the tail on the ‘R’ seems rather extended (that’s because it’s an arm around your business). The brilliant designer Brandon Wilson helped draw these out, after understanding the research and the brand DNA.
It’s a logo that tells a story and that’s what branding does. It extends that promise of what the business will do for you. A logo can do a lot of heavy lifting in this respect but it’s just surface. What’s really interesting is going under the skin of the brand. Going below the surface to see what’s there and uncovering the DNA.
Brand tells people who you are
Think of it like this. The brand is the external manifestation. It’s what people see and what gives them an idea of what to expect. The Harrods brand lets you know that you’re heading into luxury. Meanwhile, connecting with the Ryanair brand makes it clear that value is what’s on offer. The consumer gets to choose which story they connect with most – and one doesn’t rule out another.
Wherever you are in the market, the brand is a way of letting potential customers find out who you are, what you do and whether your offer is the right one for them. Think of it like picking up a book off a shelf -you’ll be influenced by the colours, the images and who the writer is. But you’ll also take note of the price, how many pages there are and what the blurb on the back says. If I’m grabbing something to read at an airport then I’m looking for a paperback that I know I’ll enjoy (I do not want to be stuck on a flight with a book I hate or a boring person for that matter). Buying a book as a gift or one by a favourite author, and I might splash out for the hardback. If I’m borrowing the book from a friend, I’ll be more willing to take a risk on the content.
This is why great brands tell stories. It means that you know what they offer and whether it aligns with your values, aspirations, needs, budget and experiences.
Understand the complexity of branding and you’ll see why you don’t create a brand alone.
When I was starting to work on the Richer Solutions brand, I didn’t do it alone. I began by putting together the brand DNA and then called for help. I’m not a graphic designer but I worked with one to create my logo. Likewise, when it came to my web design, social media, processes, copywriting, photography and development, collaboration was absolutely key. Thank you again to the brilliant Brandon Wilson, Annastasia Ward, Elizabeth Doss, Eugenio Franchi. You should always work with great people who make you stronger.
Brand Development
It’s still a work in progress. Following discussions with my mentor, I’ve been looking at the structure of my business. I’ve gone back to my web designer and copywriter as I’ve needed to add more pages. However, it all comes back to my brand DNA. Whatever I do I run past the DNA to act as a kind of filter to see if I’m saying true to the brand or have been distracted by something new and shiny.
So when it comes to brand, you don’t start with a logo. This is why creating brand DNA is one of my key services for clients. It provides a solid foundation for everything else to grow from. It’s literally providing a place for your brand to begin to grow strong roots.
As it happens, I have a handy download that you can use to get an introduction to creating your DNA. Use the link below to access The Don’t Be Boring Guide to Branding.
Remember if your brand is surface patterns – then it is going to be boring and it will let you down. Start on the inside and work out. Logo comes last.
