The Title Page of our In-House Branding Guide.
When people think about branding and their business identity there is a large range of components that come to mind. The primary component people think of is the logo. The logo then gets used across all mediums and creates a branded company, right? Not quite.
While the logo is the visual representation of your brand there is much more to a successful branding plan than having a logo. Your brand needs to represent your business’ identity. If your logo does not, its time for an update! In order to determine if your logo represents your business there are a few elements to consider. Who are you? What do you do? What makes your business better than the competition? What are the core values of your company? All these elements create a soul for your business that your logo and branding should encase.
A page from within our In-House Branding Guide showcasing different acceptable logo variatoins.
Having a defined vision for your company will quickly go to waste if all this effort and graphic design work and catch phrases are not used consistently. Yes, that means the work is not over yet. If your brand is not presented consistently the effectiveness of your message is lost.
This is where a branding guide comes into play. Branding guides communicate a variety of things about your brand, both internally to your organization or business, as well as externally to your partners, affiliates and the general public. Brand guidelines are not necessarily standard across the industries as each business represents themselves differently. But, the most discernible organizations utilize brand guidelines as a resource for everyone to understand how to represent their brand.
Since the logo does not always appear on a white background we include acceptable versions on a dark background.
Not only are they effective in defining how your brand is presented to the public, but is also an effective launching point for rebranding. As your business grows or the business environment changes, the branding guide provides the starting point for evaluating where you are relative to where you want to be.
Below are 5 reasons it is so important to have a branding guide for your business:
Defining the colors of your logo and branding allows for consistency in messaging, printing and your online footprint.
Consistency: The more times a person is exposed to the same message, the better it is retained. Every time a customer sees your business card, email, or signs, they see a consistent message and perception of your company. Consistency makes your brand recognizable and reliable.
Setting Standards and Rules: Your guide sets the rules on how to use your brands visual elements. It will define the use in letterhead, signage, color combinations, orientation as well as when to use visual elements in combination or stand alone.
Using consistent fonts across all promotional material adds an additional level of consistency and visibility.
Visibility: Keeping your brand consistent makes it more immediately recognizable. We all know how a recognizable brand takes time and having a brand that is quickly distinguishable is key to success. That will only be achieved through consistent messaging.
Staying focused: We all get overwhelmed at times and if there aren’t guidance’s on how to handle certain situations, shortcuts tend to take place to “just get it done” Your branding guide helps prevent that from happening. It makes is easy and clear on how to handle the use of the brand maintaining that all so critical consistent message. As an added bonus it also ensures that the no elements get warped over time!
Official Paramount Signs Full Logo.
Value: When your brand is seen in a consistent and cohesive manner, it increases the perceived value of that brand. Consistency allows you brand to appear more professional and reliable.
You will find some additional information on what is in a branding guide from this article in Forbes.
So if you are struggling to maintain consistency with your brand, give Paramount Signs a call for a free consultation.
Remember “getting you noticed is Paramount”
