Picture this: You’re standing in front of your closet, surrounded by a tsunami of clothes, trying to put together the perfect outfit for a big event. Now, imagine that closet is your brand, and the big event? It’s every single day your business shows up online. Overwhelming, right?
If you’re feeling like your brand is having a full-blown identity crisis, take a deep breath. You’re not alone in this creative chaos! Creating a cohesive brand can feel about as easy as solving a Rubik’s cube… blindfolded… while riding a unicycle.
It’s time to unravel the mystery of brand cohesion. We’ll dive into why it’s so darn tricky to achieve, and then I’ll arm you with some practical magic to pull it all together. Ready to transform your brand from a hot mess into a hot ticket? Let’s dive in!
Why is Brand Cohesion Harder Than Herding Cats?
The Problem: Your mind is a non-stop idea factory, spitting out concepts faster than you can say “rebrand.” While creativity is your superpower, it can also be your kryptonite when it comes to focusing your brand.
The Solution: Embrace the brainstorm, but then put on your editor’s hat. Create a “brand bible” where you document your final decisions. It’s like a creative safe space where your best ideas can live harmoniously.
The Problem: You’re waiting for that ‘perfect’ brand to magically appear, fully formed like Athena from Zeus’s head. Newsflash: perfection is a myth, and it’s keeping you stuck.
The Solution: Embrace progress over perfection. Start with a ‘good enough’ brand and refine as you go. Remember, a living brand is better than a non-existent ‘perfect’ one.
The Problem: Your business is evolving faster than a Pokémon, and your brand is struggling to keep up. What worked when you started might not fit who you are now.
The Solution: Schedule regular brand check-ins. Every quarter, assess if your brand still aligns with your business goals and values. Small, intentional tweaks are better than a complete overhaul every year.
The Problem: You made a small change here, a tiny tweak there, and before you know it, your brand looks like it’s been through a blender.
The Solution: Create a brand style guide and stick to it. When you do need to make changes, update your guide and implement the changes across all platforms simultaneously.
The Problem: You’re trying to be the photographer, graphic designer, copywriter, and web developer all at once. The result? A hodgepodge of styles that screams “amateur hour.”
The Solution: Know when to DIY and when to call in the pros. Invest in professional help for the core elements of your brand. It’s an investment that pays off in credibility and cohesion.
Is your brand the energetic puppy that bounds into the room, or the cool cat that observes from the windowsill? Defining your brand personality guides every other branding decision.
Pro Tip: Create a brand persona. Give your brand a name, backstory, and personality traits. It sounds woo-woo, but it works!
Choose 3-5 colors that reflect your brand personality. Use them consistently across all platforms, from your website to your business cards.
Pro Tip: Create a simple color guide with hex codes for digital use and Pantone numbers for print. No more guessing if that blue is the ‘right’ blue!
Stick to 2-3 fonts max. One for headlines, one for body text, and maybe one accent font. Any more and your brand starts looking like a ransom note!
Pro Tip: Choose fonts that are easily readable on both digital screens and print materials. Your brand should look good everywhere!
Whether you’re using photos, illustrations, or graphics, keep a consistent style that aligns with your brand vibe. Think of it as curating a gallery that tells your brand’s story.
Pro Tip: Create a mood board for your brand imagery. Use it as a reference when creating or choosing visuals to ensure they all ‘feel’ like they belong together.
Your brand voice should be as recognizable as your bestie’s laugh. Develop key messages and stick to them. Whether it’s your website, social media, or email newsletter, your audience should always know it’s you.
Pro Tip: Create a list of words and phrases that are ‘on brand’ for you, and another list of words to avoid. Share this with anyone who creates content for your brand.
Here’s the truth: You can try “just winging it”, but you’ll likely end up spending more time and energy in the long run trying to fix a fragmented brand. Investing time upfront to create a cohesive brand pays off in increased recognition, trust, and ultimately, more clients.
Working with a branding professional (like yours truly) means:
Remember, brand cohesion is a journey, not a destination. It’s okay to evolve and refine as you go. The key is to stay true to your core identity while presenting a unified front to the world.
And here’s a pro tip to rule them all: A killer website ties it all together! It’s your brand’s digital home, where all these elements come together to create a cohesive experience for your audience.
Ready to wave goodbye to your brand’s identity crisis and hello to a cohesive, head-turning brand? Let’s work some branding magic together!
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Let's Do this!
