When you’re building your company, you’re also building your brand. Starbucks, Little Miss Matched, Google... built their brands once upon a time. Now it’s your turn!
1. Develop Your Mission Statement: Before you decide what company “clothes” to wear (logo, identity, style, colors, etc.) you need to first define who you are and what you are striving to accomplish. Creating a company mission statement will help. I recommend that your mission statement be short enough that every member of our company can memorize it and it can roll off the tongue easily and simply. For more on how to write a business mission statement click here.
2. Tell Your Story Now that you’ve figured out your mission statement…you’re ready to develop your story. When I say “tell your story” I don’t mean tell us how your company started. I mean, enroll us in your story and tell us why we should care. It may be simple like Little Miss Matched, they are on a mission to encourage creativity–and advocate, life’s fun…don’t worry about matching your socks.
Seth Godin’s article, Brand as Mythology is very interesting because he mentions how people will “use a Dell computer” but they “are Apple” (culture). Think of children’s brands that sell toys centered around a story or a film (Thomas The Tank Engine, Disney Princesses, Star Wars Figures). Think of fashion brands that sell accessories around an emotion or lifestyle (Coach, Tiffany, Juicy Couture). Think of magazines they generally sell their stories centered around a concept/attitude/lifestyle (Real Simple, Sports Illustrated, National Geographic). Seth sums up saying that there is a “spiritual” connection–there is some reason why we feel drawn to the purchase ultimately it’s how we feel.
3. Develop the Style of Your Brand Personally I think it’s far easier to figure out your mission statement and your story than it is to get your style right. Most start up companies take this part far too lightly and throw together a logo without much thought or research because they have a friend who is a graphic designer and they are anxious to get it done and get to business.
Create a file of every image you can find that “tells your story.” Search magazines, websites you like, think about songs you love, etc. What colors express your story well? What style font? What images do you feel drawn to? Take time to do this step. It may take a few weeks, don’t rush–this is an important step. After you’ve compiled your file, narrow down your search to your top 5 images and likely you’ll see a common style/look that you’re drawn to. You may want to consult with Fairy Godmothers Carrie and Danielle to help you “communicate what you do in all you do” or another brand development company at this critical stage.
Next you’ll be ready to start developing your logo and identity…TAKE YOUR FILE to a professional graphic designer whose portfolio represents a similar style to what you are trying to create. (You may have to search a while to find the right person, but it’s worth the hunt.)
Today’s Magic Wand: Set 30 minutes aside to consider your company’s brand. If you’ve already written your mission statement, review it; does it need any changes? Do you have it memorized? If you haven’t written one yet, then brainstorm about it and follow these tips.
got it Kelly :0)
Glad you “got it” Celest…good luck with creating your brand, your story, your style.