Marketing and PR

Creating Your Brand

Author: Susan Sommers

Last time we analyzed the steps involved in creating a comprehensive, long-term Marketing PR Plan for your company or organization. A strategic marketing plan is vital to the success of your business for a number of reasons, including building brand awareness; marketing your programs, services, and products to key stakeholders; and supporting other aspects of your marketing program.

We examined ten key elements of a strategic Marketing PR plan: your business purpose, your market situation (trends, problems and issues you need to consider), your goals and objectives, your target markets, your "branding", your marketing strategies, your tactics (the tools you will use to reach and persuade your target markets), your budget, your action plan, and your plans for the future.

Now we’ll look at branding, visual image, key messages, and business cards.

Make a name for yourself

Every organization or company needs to be branded, regardless of its size or scope. In a highly-competitive business environment, branding is a way to differentiate yourself from the competition.

Branding helps people to understand who you are, what you stand for, and how you do it. It also establishes your credibility and relevance with your potential clients. In the end, your goal is to build brand loyalty.

Branding is important because it will distinguish you from your competitors, help you to build relationships with your key markets, build trust, generate revenue and profits, and lead to success.

In order to develop your brand, you need to identify your target markets, understand their needs, and decide how your products and services meet these needs.

A brand is your corporate identity and it includes a number of elements: your name, your logo, your packaging, your price, your reputation, your advertising, and your history. In the end, it is the customer’s perception of your company or organization, based on the way you position yourself.

Your target markets will get to know your name and recognize your visual identity through a number of integrated tools: logos, packaging, business cards, brochures, letterhead, sales kits, multimedia, in-house presentations, newsletters, postcards, posters, signage, show booths, advertising, publicity, manuals, and promotions.

So, what does it take to become recognizable brand? The two key elements are defining your messages and creating your look.

Develop a Profile

Your company or organization must have a single voice, a consistent message. This comes from understanding your target markets and your objectives.

Select a Business Name: The name you choose should reflect the key elements in your mission statement.

Add a Tagline to Your Name: This should reinforce or clarify your company or organization’s products and services.

Create a 20- word description to use at networking events, printed materials, and media interviews. Your description should include the following:

_________ (your company name) is a ________ (organization or company) that offers _____________ (your products and services) to ________ (your target markets).

Develop Key Messages: Define three themes related to your organization, services, and special events. These should be reflected in all of your communications activities, printed materials, and media interviews.

Compose Slogans and Jingles for your advertising that reinforce your identity.

Build a Visual Identity: Create a look that reflects and communicates your brand.

Start with a Strong Logo

Your logo is a very important element in your visual identity is your logo. Hire a professional designer, preferably one with a specialty in identity development, to design your logo. Then, work with the designer to develop a visual identity that reflects your company or organization.

Here are some tips to ensure that your visual identity stands out and clearly represents your business:

1. Communicate the nature of your company or organization and its products and services instantly. Two wonderful examples of branding are Nike (for profit) and the Heart & Stroke Foundation (non-profit).
   

2. Be consistent and ensure that your printed materials always use the same typeface, font, paper stock, and PMS colours.

3. Be unique – think outside the box; go beyond what your competitors are doing.

4. Make sure the logo appeals to your target audience. For example, use colours that accurately convey your image: for example, bright colours for a creative company, more subdued colours for a corporate look.

5. Leave plenty of white space. This is the space around the copy, which allows the copy to “breathe”. Include wide margins on top and bottom and on both sides of the page.

6. Select a look that will last over time – not faddish, but classic and timeless.

7. Choose a logo that works in all types of media, such as newspapers (black and white vs. colour), web-based vs. print-based typefaces (times roman is better for paper, ariel is better for internet).

8. Set your body copy in a friendly, easy to read typeface.

Create a Business Card

Combine your company name, logo, tag line, type face, colours, and paper stock into a business card that brings results. 

Your business card is really the calling card for your business and often the first thing a potential client sees.

One of the biggest trends in business cards is that people are now using both sides. Use the back of the card to get the reader to “take action” (get free one-hour consultation) or to “make it a keeper” (10 tips on a specific topic). Or you could include a map to your location, information in another language, your mission statement, or three testimonials.

In the end, it is these key elements – your visual identity, your name, your tag line, and your key messages that are combined to brand your company or organization. Your final question should be: Do the design and content work?

Published: April 28, 2006

Susan Sommers is one of Canada's leading marketing and media relations consultants, trainers, and speakers. She is the author of two new books on Canadian media: Building Media Relationships (Irwin Publishing) and media wise (United Way of York Region). For the past 25 years, she has organized marketing and media relations campaigns, events, and promotions through her firm, susan sommers + associates. Susan also designs and delvers workshops, training programs, and keynotes in marketing and media relations across Canada. For more information, visit her website at www.susansommers.ca, call Susan at (905) 889-6029 or e-mail her at susan@susansommers.ca

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