Whether you’re an ecommerce business, an events company or a software as a service (SaaS) provider, a powerful product or service offering will take you so far – but it’s only when coupled with a magnetic brand identity that you can begin to take your sector by storm.

Creating a brand identity unique and powerful enough to cut through the industry noise is no mean feat but, with our winning recipe for an irresistible brand identity, you’ll have all the ingredients you need to keep hungry consumers in your sector satisfied.

An unforgettable image

Brand identity design is, of course, about far more than beautiful imagery alone – but that’s not to say that a slick, elegant aesthetic isn’t a key ingredient in this recipe. From your all-important company logo to your brand’s colour palette, packaging design and website theme, there are interconnected elements galore that make up your brand’s image – and it all starts with identifying the unique traits that encapsulate your brand and finding a way to represent these qualities visually.

An authentic personality

If your brand were a person, how would you define them? Informal and chatty with a great sense of humour? Direct and authoritative? Eccentric and offbeat, with a nonconformist edge? Creating a brand persona is an activity best combined with user persona mapping, as chances are your ideal user has a lot in common with your brand’s personality. Knowing who your brand is will prove invaluable when it comes to deciding how your brand should communicate with your audience, from the channels you use and the nature of your communications to your all-important brand voice.

A distinct voice

It’s not only what you say – it’s how you say it, too. Finding your voice, especially in a crowded market, can be a daunting prospect – but you can simplify this process by first asking yourself whether you’d like to define your brand voice by association or by your point of difference. If there’s an existing brand within or outside of your sector whose voice you aspire to emulate, your next step is to examine their brand messaging – from blog posts and email marketing copy to social media activity and web content – and put your finger on exactly what it is about their tone of voice that inspires you.

Alternatively, if you’d rather be viewed as an antidote to the rest of your industry, your task will be to identify the missing piece of the puzzle – finding out where your competitors are falling short and offering that one, powerful thing that consumers in your sector can’t find elsewhere.

A powerful message

Next on your brand identity design checklist is establishing what you’d like customers to take away from the exchanges they have with your brand (other than paid-for products or services, of course). What’s the message behind your business, and why should your customers buy into this company ethos? You may be an ethical business trying to save the world one sale at a time – but if not, that doesn’t mean your brand doesn’t have a meaningful message worth investing in.

It could be that you want to illustrate to customers that they can enjoy high-quality products without paying extortionate prices, or perhaps that, by shopping with you, they can be part of a thriving community of customers and feel a part of something more than a mere customer base. The choice is yours – but regardless of your reasons for launching your business, we’re confident you’ll be able to articulate a brand message worth believing in.

A promise of value

While mulling over your brand’s central message, it’s important to consider what incentive you’re giving shoppers to choose your product or service over the available alternatives. What are you offering your customers that competitors aren’t? It may be greater affordability, broader choice, higher quality products, superior customer service or something else entirely, but you’ll need to nail down what unique value you’re offering to your customers so that this USP can be at the forefront of your brand messaging in the months and years to come.

A clear-cut community

This is where we come in. With all other bases covered, once you know how to create a brand identity that’ll leave competitors envious, the final ingredient is a thriving, distinctive community your customers will feel privileged to be a part of. The world’s most unique and memorable brands are supported by a following of customers who share their outlook on life and engage with their brand rather than the alternatives because of this shared ethos.

With our community engagement platform, you can begin building a devoted following around your brand – using our diverse suite of features, including everything from a bespoke event management platform to your own dedicated company forum and market research tools.