We hear about the importance of branding all the time, and we try to do our best to keep up and do what we believe branding is all about: design a nice logo, develop our image, and ask our friends and relatives their opinion about our choices. This is not a bad thing, but there´s more to branding than just a logo or a catchy phrase, and at Twelve12, we want to share some information about the branding process with you and answer any questions that you may have about Orange County branding.
One of the first things that we should do is to define our objectives, our needs, and establish our priorities. This means that you need to have a clear understanding of what are you looking for with any type of branding strategy, including the exact area that is going to be improved or affected by this strategy. Since there’s usually more than one area to attend, decide which area is the most important and those that are secondary.
If your company has already been open for a while, you should review your current branding, such as collateral, identity (including logo, slogan, colors, etc.) and the foundation of your business, including its values, mission, vision, community involvement, etc.
All the information that you gather up to this point would be very helpful if you can include an analysis of your competitors, as this way, you can compare, analyze and decide if you should make any changes, improve any material, or even develop a better identity.
It is very important to remember that your brand is like a window into your company, and part of it is all the people that work for the company to make it happen – even your suppliers can become part of your branding! Think about Starbucks and sustainable fair trade policies, as an example. So don’t forget to involve your staff, and take your time listening to new ideas and points of view, and once you get your branding strategies, get them as excited as you are to be part of your company and to be proud of their brand.
Develop your plan according to your findings and objectives, assemble a branding team if there’s a need for it, and design your strategies. After this, it is time to execute your plan; give it some time to start working and then evaluate your results every month to see if you need to adjust your strategy.
Without getting into too much detail, this is basically what the branding process is about, and if you want to know more about it or if you are in need of Orange County branding help, give us a call today. At Twelve12 we can turn your basic brand into a successful and appealing brand at very attractive prices.