You’ve taken the first step to dive into the beginnings of creating a new brand, fantastic, we can’t wait to help you! Creating a brand is not only about what it will look like, the most important information lies within the details. Here are Catersales top 10 considerations to make when designing a new brand:
1. What is the USP: It is easy to think of a business idea but is there substance to it? Ask yourself, what are you planning to offer? What makes this business unique? What causes you to stand out in the crowd? A USP is a ‘unique selling point’, this is ultimately what makes your business thrive in comparison to others doing something similar. We believe that this is the main key to success but don’t worry if you don’t have one, we are here to help. We have over 30 years of experience with creating businesses USPs, you are in safe hands.
2. Competitors:
Looking at competitors can be a scary and daunting task when you are looking to open something similar. Remember when completing your field research that it is not just about what they do, it is how they operate and why that works. Competitor research is a great way to see what is working well and what you can take inspiration from for your business. Most importantly, it can highlight what is not going so well and what you should avoid doing. Have a look at Google reviews, the are more insightful than the pretty pictures that will plaster most business Instagrams, you’ll find real and honest opinions for their customers, write a list of the positives and negatives, and utilise these free do’s and don’ts list to further your business model.
3. Aspirational businesses:
Looking at similar businesses you’re inspired by is a great free way to help you understand what you want your business to become. What excites you about this aspiration brand? What opportunities does it highlight that you can do? Can you do it bigger and better? Is the look and feel of this brand something that you would like to replicate in your own way? Originality is very hard to create in this modern-day world, so remember, your offering is most likely already out there but it is how you do it that will make you unique, keep your USP at the forefront of every business idea.
4. Brand Voice:
Finding your brand voice is key to creating a business that feels consistent and coherent, it gives customers a clearer indication of who you are and what you offer. Think of the brand you want to create and think about what it would look like if it were a person. Are they smartly dressed with expensive jewellery? Or are they wearing comfy clothing with a relaxed hairstyle? This will help you to identify what you want the brand to look and feel like. Will it be calm and relaxed or will it be sophisticated with all the glitz and glamour? Describe the characteristics that fit with the person you have imagined. Jot this list down, we will come back to this later.
5. Target Market:
Discovering your brand voice leads perfectly into this next point. A target market identifies who this business is aimed at. Think about the perish you pictured in point 4. Write down a description of this person, their age, their hobbies, and their interests, jot down as many points as possible to describe this person. Now you have a list that helps you to identify who you wish to aim this brand towards, now think about what might draw them into your brand. For example, a man in his seventies might not enjoy a contemporary street art focused brand design, whereas a skateboarder in their twenties might resonate with this. Keep this person you imagine interacting with the brand at the forefront of your mind when making any decision, your target market is the most important element to creating a successful brand.
6. Business core values:
When creating your business it is important to look within and discover what values it should have at its epicentre. Research your target market age category, what do they value the most, does it align with what you value? Is your business to be centred around respect, diversity and community? Or are we looking at sustainability, responsibility and having an approachable nature? It is pinnacle when creating a successful business to ensure that you have identified the core values. These will be what inform your major business decisions.
7. Name:
Name generation can be very difficult when creating a brand, it needs to feel right and relevant. Does the name have any negative connotations, can it be registered as a business or is it already coined and copyrighted? Does it have relevance and meaning to the business offering? Most importantly, can it be pronounced easily but multiple people from different backgrounds, there is nothing worse than having a business that can be pronounced in different ways, this will affect your word-of-mouth promotion.
8. Colour:
Now you have identified the USP, the brand voice, and the target market, it’s time to think about the aesthetics. Brand colours have a huge importance on how we perceive a business, these colours will draw people in or push them away. The psychology behind colours is equally important to consider, for example, the colour red connotes romance but can also signify blood and anger, whereby yellow can signify sunshine and happiness. Choosing your colours carefully and thinking about the proportional weight of each colour will help to make a more successful brand that has the correct connotations. So ask yourself, what do you want your brand to portray?
9. Graphic Design:
Now you have selected a colour palette, its time to move on to the overall aesthetics of the brand. Creating graphics that match your desired business can be a difficult process. We believe the most important factors to consider when designing a logo are, typography, iconography and taglines. The type face that is used for a logo has a large effect on how legible it will be – pick it carefully. Check that the font can be read from a distance and make sure that others can clearly read what it says, there’s no point having a logo that cannot be read easily, it will create confusion and deter customers. The icon on a logo is an image-based graphic that helps to signify what the brand is and ultimately compliments the aesthetics. Not every brand needs an icon but it is a great way to promote yourself. A good icon is easily recognisable and can stand alone, think about whether this is essential to your business. Another factor to consider is whether or not your brand would benefit from a tagline. A well written tagline will promote the business clearly and effectively whilst giving a snippet of key information into what the business is offering or their values. Not every business needs a tagline, sometimes it can overcomplicate a perfect logo. Think about how important this could be to your overall aesthetics.
10. Implementation mockups:
Creating a logo for any business comes with many different challenges, the most important is making sure it feels right. Goldilocks had to try a few different options before settling on something that was ‘just right’, that’s where we come in. We trial different ideas we think suit the business and settle on 2 perfect logos to show our clients. The deciding factor is almost always the mockups. Seeing a logo is eyeopening but in order to pick the one that is most suited to your brand, we place it on different images tailored to your offering. Starting up a coffee shop? Here is how your brand will look on a coffee cup. A takeaway burger eatery? Not to worry have a look at your logo and brand pattern on a takeaway box. Seeing your logo on different elements to your business is a key factor in making sure your logo is more than ‘just right’, its perfect. We combine every element from the 9 points above to ensure that we can offer a fantastic brand outcome to each and every one of our customers.
Catersales have been branding companies for many years and have created over 160 brand identities. We have the experience and the know-how to curate a successful brand for anyone looking to venture into the hospitality industry. We know there are multiple factors to consider and how daunting that can feel, we are always ready to help you when you want to take the first leap into branding your business.
Posted by: Lauren Algar