Branding for Startups: Build your brand to attract customers and investors

BRANDING
FOR STARTUPS
Build your brand to attract customers and investors.
Emily Brackett
President, Visible Logic
www.visiblelogic.com
Design+business blog: visiblelogic.com/blog

BRANDING FOR STARTUPS
What is Branding?

Branding is creating a unique
name and image for a product
in the consumers’ mind.
What is Branding?

What is Branding?
Different
Recognizable

The distinct name for your product, service or organization
Name becomes your logo
URL
What is Branding?

Your logo
Other key visuals: photography, color, typography
Tone of voice
What is Branding?

Did it even register?
How your message is received may different than how it was presented.
It is not all in your control.
What is Branding?

Why Invest in
Branding?

Charge a premium

Make selling easier

It can improve any business

• Attract better clients / customers
• Charge a premium for products / services
• Close sales more easily
• Reduced marketing costs (eventually)
• Greater value when selling the business
Why Invest in Branding

Poll
What stage is your startup at?
Pre-buying product development
No or low revenue
In the marketplace

Differentiation

What makes you unique?
Different
Recognizable

Competitor
No.1
Competitor
No.4
Competitor
No. 2
Competitor
No.3
Competitive Landscape

Competitor
No.1
Competitor
No.4
Competitor
No. 2
Competitor
No.3
Your
Brand
Competitive Landscape

Differentiate
Competitor
No.1
Competitor
No.4
Competitor
No. 2
Competitor
No.3
Your
Brand

To Do:
Identify your competitors
Find your differentiators

To Do:
Geography, Buyers, Price,

To Do:
Features Benefits,

To Do:
Features Benefits,
What about the DIY’ers?

Your name is critical
The distinct name for your product, service or organization
Name becomes your logo
URL

Get it right.
Your name is the hardest thing to change in a brand identity.
Prevent confusion.
Long term

1. Easy to say or pronounce
4 Must’s for a strong brand name

2. Memorable and distinct

3. Does not cause confusion

3. Does not cause confusion
4. Relevant domain name is available

To Do:
Is your name right?
If not, fix it.

To Do:
List adjectives to describe
yourself and your offering

To Do:
Think of objects or feelings
that express this.

New Yoga Studio in Portland Maine
High-touch style
Calm environment
Unique & beautiful studio on the waterfront
Thoughtful, full mind & body approach
A place and practice to destress (not power yoga)
Example

New Yoga Studio in Portland Maine
High-touch style
Calm environment
Unique & beautiful studio on the waterfront
Thoughtful, full mind & body approach
A place and practice to destress (not power yoga)
Still Water Yoga
Example

To Do:
Is your name right?
Not sure?
Joining our online Branding Mastermind Workshop
Monday, October 20, 2014
3:00-4:30 pm (Eastern)
Fee: $29 $20
http://bit.ly/branding-mastermind

The Importance of
Design in Branding

Developing a unique image
Your logo
Other key visuals: photography, color, typography
Tone of voice

We are visual beings

We are visual beings
Recognition starts the process of know me, like me, trust me
Visual Identity is at its Core

Design vs. Branding
Good design
Readable fonts
Good use of color
High quality imagery
A “template” might work
Consistent brand identity
Corporate fonts
Corporate colors
Recognizable design elements
A template will not work
Tone and voice goes beyond design
elements
Design and voice can be seen / heard in
other applications (consistency)

1. Distinct from competitors
5 Must’s for your logo

2. Memorable

2. Memorable
3. Easily reproducible

2. Memorable
4. Works in the places, sizes, shapes YOU need

2. Memorable
5. Looks professionally designed

2. Memorable
5. Looks professionally designed
It does NOT need to be a symbol

To Do:
Does your logo match your
adjectives?

Example

Consistency
Consistency. Repetition. Think beyond your logo.

To Do:
Professionally designed logo
Vector files
Additional visual library

Personal vs.
Corporate Branding

Poll
What type of business are you starting?
Solopreneur, consultant
Service-based business
Hard product
Technology, software or electronic product
Retail, restaurant

The spectrum
Personal Corporate
Consultant
Freelancer
Public Speaker
Hair Stylist Person who owns
more than one
business
Real Estate Broker
Financial Planner
Insurance Rep
Small Business
Owner
Large Corporation

The spectrum
Personal Corporate
JOHN SMITH, CPA

A solopreneur must feel a personal connection to their brand identity.
Solopreneurs

To Do:
Do you like your name, logo,
web site?
Does it feel right to you ?

Startup Identity = Founder(s) Identity
Startup=Founder
>

To Do:
Bios for founders on web site
Professional headshot

The Two-Sided
Factor of Branding

It’s not all about you
Did it even register?
How your message is received may different than how it was presented.
It is not all in your control.

Send & Receive
The identity you build + perceptions of others = your brand

Identity vs perception
Fly the friendly skies

The image they are pushing

Customer Perception

To Do:
Ensure customer experience
matches brand promise

Make Your Brand
Work for You

Confused, Weak Brand Image
Corporate
Identity

Corporate
Identity
Web design

Corporate
Identity
Web design
Marketing
copy

Corporate
Identity
Web design
Social
Media
Marketing
copy

Corporate
Identity
Web design
Social
Media
Sales
Process
Marketing
copy

Corporate
Identity
Web design
Social
Media
Sales
Process
Customer
Experience
Marketing
copy

Corporate
Identity
Web design
Marketing
copy
Social
Media
Sales
Process
Customer
Experience
Founder

Consistent Branding
Corporate
Identity

Consistent Branding
Corporate
Identity
Web design

Consistent Branding
Corporate
Identity
Web design
Marketing
copy

Consistent Branding
Corporate
Identity
Web design
Social
Media
Marketing
copy

Consistent Branding
Corporate
Identity
Web design
Social
Media
Marketing
copy
Sales
Process

Consistent Branding
Corporate
Identity
Web design
Social
Media
Marketing
copy
Sales
Process
Customer
Experience

Corporate
Identity
Web design
Social
Media
Marketing
copy
Founder
Sales
Process
Customer
Experience
Consistent Branding

To Do:
Look objectively at your
brand from identity, to
message to service.

When to Invest
in Branding

Investors may not care about your brand.
Branding is a problem that can be solved.
Customers vs investors

Polish your brand before you reach the market on a large scale.
It can be hard to overcome poor first impressions

A well-crafted brand identity will grow with your business
It will be an asset to your business.

Emily Brackett
Questions?

Emily Brackett
Looking for feedback
on your name, tagline,
web site or other materials?
Joining our online Branding Mastermind Workshop
Monday, October 20, 2014
3:00-4:30 pm (Eastern)
Fee: $29 $20
http://bit.ly/branding-mastermind

Branding for Startups: Build your brand to attract customers and investors

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