Ugly Doesn’t Sell

Why you need to take your brand identity seriously

A business is like a book. It’s judged by its cover.

These judgments are now being made in split seconds as consumers constantly scroll online, pushing past the estimated 5,000 ads a day fighting for their eyeballs, while your competitors use tools to precisely target the customers your business needs to grow.

That’s why it is essential to build a strong brand identity. It will help your business stand out in a crowded marketplace; otherwise, you risk getting lost among the thousands of brands vying for consumers’ attention.

Here are a few pointers to help you understand brand identity and how it can impact your business.

What is Brand Identity?

Brand identity builds off branding, which is the process of using both art and science to influence perception of a business. The outcome is what customers think and feel about that business.

Brand identity is what people see of your brand. Foundational pieces include logo, typography, colors, graphic elements and photography. Your brand identity should be based on your brand strategy.

Your Brand Identity Affects Your Business

Well-crafted brand identities provide added value, something consumers will happily spend money on. People want to buy from businesses they trust. Creating professional, beautiful and consistent visuals communicates that your business cares; these high-quality visuals signal reliability. On the flip side, whenever customers see a burned-out lightbulb in your sign, a broken link on your website or a misspelled word in your email, subconsciously they wonder: “If they don’t care about that  … ”

Ugly doesn’t sell, but neither does pretty for pretty’s sake

Beauty without purpose is simply garnish. Good brand identities are built from solid strategies. Knowing your business’s goals, customers and competition are some of the strategic foundations to building a brand identity that has form and function. Brand identities should strive for design that is timeless, communicates your values and serves your business and marketing goals. When an identity is built on a strategic foundation the value added will supersede its cost.

Brand Identity’s Secret Weapon: Time and Consistency

Keep in mind that great brand identities aren’t built overnight. Time and consistency make the most iconic brands in the world instantly recognizable and effective. Thoughtful design applied consistently over time will always win. 

Develop a strategy, design around it and apply it to every customer touchpoint with consistency, and you will have a brand identity that serves your business for years.