Extend your Branding

If someone told you, “You need to brand your company,” would you disagree? No. You may think your branding was complete when you found a logo, but the branding process does not stop there. Your company’s brand image should extend past a logo. Since we already shared our tips on designing a logo in July’s blog, here are four simple and cost-effective things we think every company needs to grow and develop their brand far beyond their logo.
Brand Standards
Brand standards are guidelines for a company on the usage of a logo including what fonts to use, colors, spacing, sizing and usage across different mediums. Having a brand standards booklet is the key to the professional appearance and continued success of a brand. This will help keep a logo unified not only within your company, but also through promotional or campaign materials. This consistency will give your company a professional image to support your brand. Keep an eye out for next months blog will we were covered more in depth how to create your brand standards.
Letterhead
Such a simply designed piece of paper, but so hard to keep consistent. We here at 834 can be a spokesperson having five different versions of letterhead. When you first pick or design your logo, design a letterhead. You may not think of this as a high priority, but a consistent letterhead can be just as important as a business card. Once you have a final design, put it in a community drive or do anything needed to get this final version in everyone’s hand. This is the start of creating your professional presentation for your potential clients.
Email Footer
How many emails do you send in a day?  In most professional fields, email is the main source of communication. That means that this too should be branded for your company to continue self-promotion and recognition. The email footer, the portion of information below your name, should have your logo, name, company position, social media, etc. Again, create the format according to brand standards and make it unified throughout the company This is a simple, but often overlooked part of brand consistency.
Presentation Documents
Depending on your field of business you may have web or logo design project pitches or client reports that you provide your clients. These are an integral part of your business and client relations and should be branded. Why not carry your professional brand to all aspects of your business? Pitching to a potential client, sending internal communication notices, or sending a card to someone that helped you out… brand it. This will look 100 times more professional to your clients.
Remember a logo or brand image is only successful if the company unifies themselves within it.  Brand everything and brand it well.