“A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is – it is what the consumers tell each other it is.” – Scott Cook

The brand is the perception of the company more than just a logo or a name. It is the way people and potential customers judge the enterprise. A brand is intangible and does not discuss the products or services rather it projects the personality and image of the enterprise. People value the company on the basis of its branding. With such importance derived from public perceptions, there are many uncontrollable factors that can impact the marketing strategy if the branding foundation is inadequate. The value of worth is discerned on the basis of the brand. As a key component during a startup, branding is often overlooked. Some of the essentials of branding are to build the label right from the first day with an appealing tone and voice.

Planning:

Distinguished planning is essential before strategizing branding tactics. There should be clarity between marketing, branding and PR so that relevant focus is achieved to develop an approach to brand the startup. Branding involves selecting keywords, fonts, colours, description of the product and identifying it to the market (marketing strategies) and taking pertinent steps to etch these values. PR voices it out into the public domain.

The Logo:

A logo design communicates the essence of the company. The logo will adjust itself to a wide range of environments and visually represent the business.

Website:

With today’s increasing customer awareness and real-time accessibility it is absolutely essential for every company to have a website that will speak about the company’s products and services. More imperative is the responsive web design to make visibility available at the customer’s fingertips. Along with the website, choosing the right domain name, registering it and having an email facility will help build brand trust.

Business Presentation:

Corporate business presentations are a way of selling an idea, product or service. Making a visually exhorting presentation that provides a compelling story to capture the audience’s attention is one of the keys to branding. The presentation will capture the audience’s attention to influence personalized decision-making factors aimed at brand loyalty. It is crucial to contextualize the product or service to create awareness first and then lead the audience to execute their resolution.

Business cards, stationery, and other printing collaterals:

Any business’ identity package is incomplete without a business card. To establish brand identity and ensure the preservation of the brand with the physical customer, business cards are generated in the right quantity to create the first connection with the consumer. Letterheads and envelopes along with brochures are printed with the right kind of content that can link the client to the brand.

Overall, it is necessary during a startup to discover unique factors of the business to make the most them. Professional branding and design make the company stand out against their competitors thus creating an engagement with the customer and adding to sales. Collateral designs when professionally designed enhance the company’s credibility in the eyes of the customer. Branding guidelines would be to present the brand effectively and comprehensively that sets the tone of the brand to the target audience.