Building a strong brand: laying foundations for success
The Power of Strong Foundations
Large buildings are designed to withstand incredible natural forces. Storms, hurricanes even earthquakes will bounce off such structures because of their considerable stability. Why? Because of strong foundations that anchor the structures in place. What’s more, the foundations inform the design of the whole building. Whatever is built on top of them has to be done so in line with what’s underneath.
You might not think it but your brand is subject to outside forces of a similar ferocity. So what about your foundations? Are they right for you and your business, are they such that they give you the freedom and stability to weather market storms?
In design and construction, the importance of strong foundations cannot be overstated. They make up 10% of a project’s cost, but they account for 90% of its risk. This concept extends far beyond just buildings; it applies to everything you build, from your relationships to your business. Without strong foundations, things tend to crumble.
In branding terms, your foundations are your vision, mission, and values – the pillars of your core identity. They set the tone for everything else and remain constant, year after year. These seemingly simple statements support and inform every decision you make.
But simple doesn’t always mean easy.
The Art of Preparation
Imagine trying to choose paint colors before knowing what you’re painting. We’ve seen it far too often – small businesses investing thousands in website design, only to find the results unsatisfactory. The problem? They didn’t lay the groundwork for their brand identity, leaving the website team to make design decisions on shaky foundations.
Take the building analogy again. If the foundations of a structure are inadequate for what comes on top, you’ve got a big pile of rubble on your hands. The same is true of your brand. If you haven’t done the leg work to establish the right foundations, the consequences could be dire.
Professional teams that don’t gel or deliver seamless, high-quality client service often suffer from a similar lack of core identity. Values, purpose, and tone of voice guide every action when representing your company. And when a long-standing business needs a rebrand, the graphic designer must rely on solid foundations to create a new logo that stands the test of time.
Investing in the Foundation
You might think you can’t afford to invest in laying the groundwork for your brand, but the truth is you can’t afford not to. If you don’t have time to do it right, how will you find the time to do it again? Professionalism shines through when your decorator (or web designer) takes the necessary preparatory steps before diving into their work.
Unearthing Your Core Identity
So, how does Luma Marketing help you lay the foundations for a successful brand? Getting under the skin of your core identity is one of our favorite things to do. We take your hopes, dreams, fears, and ambitions, mix them with research and insight, and give you back your solid brand identity.
Of course, it’s not that simple. Crafting your vision, mission, and values requires input from you, your leadership team, employees, clients, and collaborators. We blend all of these perspectives with market insight, political and economic awareness, some future predictions, and a dash of magic.
Once we’ve nailed the meaning, we refine it to appeal to your audience and ensure it’s in the right tone of voice for your brand. Most of this work remains tucked away, only resurfacing when you need to revisit your branding. Ideally, it’s just a check and a tweak because we worked hard to get it right the first time.
Building on Solid Ground
With your brand foundations in place, you can confidently move forward. You now have the tools to establish your business culture, guide your team towards a bright future, and achieve your objectives. These tools will also empower your website designer, communications team, and in-house marketing professionals to excel in their roles.
Lay strong foundations, and you’ll create a brand that stands tall for generations.
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For help laying the right foundations for your business, drop Luma Marketing a line and we’ll build something great together.