20 ways to use your brand identity (not just your logo)
As a brand identity designer (as well as a Squarespace website designer), I help business owners bring their vision and goals to life all whilst ensuring that the designs appeal to their target audience.
What’s super important is that once the brand identity is created, and you have your “brand toolkit” in hand, you need to USE it! And that is what I’m covering in today’s article… 20 ways to use your brand identity (not just your logo).
Before I breakdown the various different ways to use your brand identity, it’s important to make a note and understand that brand strategy has a massive play in this.
Brand strategy
Brand strategy is essentially digging deep within a brand or business to understand the audience persona, the industry players, USP, brand personality, tone of voice and of course the brand positioning, messaging and storytelling.
Therefore in order to successfully use your brand identity by putting the visuals and other brand assets to use, you need to map out the various touchpoints your target audience will interact with your brand.
This will reinforce your brand and it will lead to a consistent, professional, experience which converts.
So below you will find 20 ways in which you can use and express your brand identity to influence your client or customers experience.
1 | Website
First and foremost, your website!
Your website is an extension of your brand, so, what is the user experience like on your website? Is it easy for your clients and customers to navigate? Is the user interface consistently using your brand assets (colours, fonts, tone of voice, messaging)? Can your clients and customers find your products and service offerings with ease, and is it in keeping with what has been defined as part of the brand strategy?
2 | Lead magnets
Following on from my previous point, one thing that often gets forgotten is the opportunity to use your brand identity on your lead magnet.
Don’t forget, you want people who interact with your lead magnet to feel a level of consistency, so do they receive value from your lead magnet? Does it make them want to know more about your offerings? (hint: it should!)
3 | Social media - posts
The tone of voice in the messages, the images or photography you use, all need to be incorporated and implemented so that they “speak” to your clients and customers.
4 | Social media - engagements
Responding and replying to comments and engaging with brand values in mind. If you have a team of people who manage your social media, will each person sign off with their name at the end of the reply? - like Marks and Sparks. Or if you are a 1 person band, what is your brand personality, will you be formal, do use emojis? Your engagement will be a showcase of your brand, and so it’s important to define and use this well.
5 | Video
Video is a great way to showcase how to use or do something as it’s a really quick way to learn and visualise a process. It’s also a clever way to ensure the person watching is influenced by your brand identity by, for example, having on brand elements in the background, or by ensuring you are speaking with the same enthusiasm and tone of voice as defined in your brand values.
6 | Podcasts
If you’ve ventured into the world of starting a podcast or hope too, think about what value you are delivering, what will you talk about, what will be the nature of the podcast? Will you host casual chats? Maybe do Q&A’s? Podcasts are a great way of introducing yourself as an expert, showcasing your expertise and also share your knowledge. You can also subtly promote any offers, courses, workshops too which is another great way to share and use your brand identity.
I was invited to discuss all things branding on the Digital Discussions Unfiltered Podcast recently with Lorna Scully not long ago, Lorna does a great job of keeping her podcast on brand. Her delivery, the conversations and the guests she invites are all relevant to her offering, plus there are nuggets of gold in every conversation!
Another great podcast is the award-winning Doing It For The Kids podcast. Hosted by Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland it’s definitely one to listen to. Covering a range of topics including but not limited too: freelancing, juggling working for yourself and looking after the family, to business advice and business building. It’s a highly recommended, friendly and supportive listen!
The Business of Cambridge is another podcast that totally encompasses it’s brand values and brand identity. Such a great listen!
Sue uncovers stories from businesses in and around Cambridge city, the challenges they face, and the inspirational people that make them a success. Brilliant!
7 | Emails
Do you send out emails? Do they portray the brand personality? How many emails do you send out? - are they providing value and are they informative? Do you share your expertise or do you sell sell sell?.... Those are just a few of the things you should consider when sending out emails to your email list.
Another way to use your brand identity is in when you reply to any messages you receive via email. Do you have a personalised on brand email signature? Is the email written in the same tone of voice and with the same personality as defined in your brand values?
Related:
8 | Business cards
You could argue business cards are dead, especially as they seem like an icky way of marketing, but they are a very good way of presenting your brand identity and creating an indirect influence when someone interacts with them - or finds them in their bag months after a networking event! Be sure to consider the quality paper, embossing and finish as well as these small things make the biggest difference sometimes!
9 | Direct mail - flyers, leaflets, postcards
The same school of thought would apply to direct mail items that you create as business cards.
Those postcards you send your clients and customers in the post after they have purchased something from your store - make sure they embody your brand identity!
10| Invoices and proposals
Nothing shouts professionalism more than an invoice or proposal that showcases your brand identity to the max. Think about the way you send these documents - is it via an online system? Do you create each one in a specifically tailored manner? They don’t need to be boring or time-consuming, but they do need to showcase your brand identity.
11 | Consultation calls
Without a doubt, these have had to happen more so now than ever. How do you conduct your consultation calls? Do you do them over the phone, via Zoom, do you switch your video on?
What is the process that someone follows when booking a consultation call with you? Do you have a process? The whole experience needs to be considered. It needs to thought through and the experience created needs to be on-brand.
12 | Workshops
If you sell or conduct workshops, how easy is it to book? What is the process? Is it user friendly and do you follow up with your attendees that attend your workshop? Creating a memorable experience for those who attend your workshop is key. Ensuring that experience is on-brand is also vital as that builds a step in the process from someone booking 1 workshop to then becoming a repeat customer or client.
Pip (socialpip on Instagram) is a great example of someone who uses her brand identity extremely well with regards to workshops.
Side note - Her workshops are brilliant! So shares so much knowledge and value! I’ve taken 2 of her Instagram workshops in the past and they have been excellent. Highly recommended!
Ps… Pip’s written an awesome guest blog article… it’s coming really soon so watch this space!!
13 | Webinars (Conferences CSM day)
When I was invited to take part as a speaker at the Cambridge Social Media Day 2020 I prepared my session knowing it would be interactive and live. This meant I needed to consider how the audience will interact with my session. I made sure my presentation was on-brand (special thanks to Sammi Tarbit who is a wonderful PowerPoint and Logo Designer for design my Google Slides presentation for me!), I wanted to the attendees to feel at ease and I wanted to create a session that was vibrant, informative and full of value. I also made sure that what the attendees saw on the screen, my Google slides presentation, delivered a level of consistency and recognition.
14 | Packaging
Such an important element to consider. Your packaging is a great way to use and showcase your brand identity. Does your packaging look like it uses your visual brand identity elements - your logo, colours, fonts? Have you considered the materials used in your packaging?
Mela Jewellery is a great example of a brand that uses its identity well. Deepa the founder of Mela Jewellery has thought through this experience very well and true to her brand values, she uses plastic-free recyclable packaging which is also letterbox friendly! The beautiful sterling silver jewellery she handcrafts is also made from recycled materials. Top marks all round I say!
Ps. The Mela Jewellery visual brand identity was created by yours truly. You can learn more about that the Mela Jewellery rebrand here.
15 | Word of mouth
How do you use your brand identity in a word of mouth situation? Think about how many times have you asked your friends or family for a particular service or product recommendation.
By creating a positive experience you are influencing someone’s interaction with you and your brand, that experience can then be shared with others, and therefore a word of mouth referral can be created based on an emotion created by using your brand identity.
16 | Client or customer support
Do you support your clients or customers? How do you support them? Do you provide a “how-to” guide? Or maybe they receive instructions on how to, for example, keep their plant healthy. If you’re a service-based business, do you offer training? Using your brand identity to enhance that off-boarding process is so important, it can lead to those word of mouth referrals and repeat work or custom.
I provide a complimentary 1 hour recorded training session for all my Squarespace Super and above clients - the best thing about these sessions is that it helps my clients to understand and maintain their own Squarespace website, so each and every session is unique! (And I love knowing that they will be able to elevate their custom built website with ease!)
17 | Environment? - Signs and banners
I think a brilliant example of great brand use in its environment situation is Starbucks. The look and feel of their shops and the experience they create when you order your coffee is unique to them - the personalised service and approach is an experience that is memorable.
18 | Company clothing - aprons, t-shirts, hats
I personally love seeing small businesses use their brand identity on their company clothing. It shows that they have taken the time to think about how they present themselves to their customers. Whether a florist with a beautiful apron or an SEO consultant. Your company clothing and how you present yourself can say so much!
19 | Business vehicles (or transport)
How many times have you spotted a tradesman or a fruit and vegetable company van on the road? Now think about if you can recognise that vehicle, what stood out to you?
20 | Stationery - Pens, USB key
It’s not unknown to send thank-you items to potential clients or customers, or even to current clients as well. I’ve seen and been on the receiving end of, receiving branded stationery like pens, USB key, hoodies, notepads and more. Not only does it bring a smile to your face, but it’s useful and also a great way to use your brand identity and create a reminder in that person’s mind that you exist!
Conclusion
Your brand identity is so much more than just your logo. Using your brand identity is not just about utilising your logo, it is about identifying the touchpoints that a client or customer experiences and ensuring you are using your identity to create a rich positive experience
I hope you found this article useful and it has opened up some potential new areas where you can use your brand identity.
I’d love to know if you learnt a new way to use your brand identity, let me know in the comments below!