The world’s biggest and best brands have that unmistakable ‘it’ factor that makes them memorable and magnetic. As a more modestly sized business with aspirations of worldly acclaim, it can frustratingly feel like there’s just no way to bottle that je ne sais quoi and harness it within your own sector.

That’s not necessarily true, though.

While we appreciate that some brands really do just possess that extra, indescribable oomph that elevates a brand to more than a mere business, there are nonetheless a handful of key ingredients that contribute to this commercial staying power.

In this post, we’re breaking that recipe down to help your brand work towards this same memorable and magnetic status.

Logo

Your company logo is your coat of arms – a symbol of your purpose as an enterprise and your position within your sector. The world’s most unforgettable logos are invariably simple and elegant – communicating a business’s ethos and personality in one powerful image.

To rank among the giants of your industry, your logo should ooze character without being overly convoluted. It should echo your identity in its use of form, colour and typography – saying everything there is to say about your brand image in as few proverbial brushstrokes as possible.

Colour palette

Your brand’s colour palette will, of course, be present in your company logo – but its applications extend far beyond that. From your business’s website to its social media accounts and any conceivable marketing materials, online or otherwise, the colour scheme you establish when first branding your business should spill all over every piece of brand messaging that follows.

Understanding colour psychology is the key to harnessing the power of the most appropriate shades in order to convey your company ethos without words. Capitalise on the calming properties of blue, channel the energy of red, communicate luxury with black or showcase your sustainable values with green – whatever your message, there’s a colour primed to share this message.

Typography

Your brand’s use of typography may seem like a matter of personal preference rather than an element that would reveal anything in particular about your brand identity, but the medium is as important as the message when it comes to text formatting.

From settling on a traditional vs modern typeface to deciding whether or not to introduce your own signature flourishes, all typography brings with it a sense of personality – and big brands across the globe have laboured over theirs to find digital handwriting that’s unmistakably their own and instantly recognisable.

Company website

Your company website should be your pride and joy – a platform where you introduce your brand to the world, a hub where your big ideas are shared, and a verbal and non-verbal expression of your one-of-a-kind brand personality. Needless to say, there are design decisions galore to make when it comes to creating this all-important brand environment.

From your homepage where those all-important first impressions are formed to your About page where your company manifesto is laid bare, this hub of commercial content should succeed in a few key objectives: showcasing who you are, sharing what you do, and compelling users to become a part of your brand’s tribe.

Company blog

Your company blog is a natural extension of your brand’s website, but achieves the same key objectives in an altogether different way. This is a place where opinions, ideas and expertise are shared for the benefit of your customer base. While internal news has its place here, what separates the wheat from the chaff is a blog that reads more like a passion project than a series of self-serving press releases.

The first item on the agenda is establishing what value you have to offer your audience, whether it’s entertainment value, informational value, inspirational value or, better yet, a complementary blend of the lot. After that, your mission is to commit the time and effort your blog deserves to creating unique, memorable, shareable content that will enrich the lives of your loyal customers in some small way.

Social media presence

The last ingredient on our list – the secret sauce, if you like – is a charismatic social media presence. This is easier said than done – but the good news is that, with a fully formed and authentic brand identity behind you, putting your best foot forward on social media should come fairly naturally.

It’s crucial to remember that social media should never be treated as an echo chamber. ‘Social’ is right there in the name, and the brands we know and love use platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as the interactive tools they’re designed to be.

Answer customer queries, spark debate, offer opinions and make yourself heard – but participate in meaningful dialogues. Don’t shout into the void. This is the secret to growing a sustainable brand community and transcending mere business status.

For anything and everything else that comes with community building, explore the potential of our state-of-the-art engagement platform. Request a free online demo today to expand your community-building toolkit and give your brand the foundations it needs to thrive.