3 DESIGN TIPS TO BECOME A POWERFUL ONLINE BRANDING MACHINE (without breaking the bank)

A new normal is here.

The corona-virus awakened many business owners to the importance of having a digital presence. Limited face-to-face interaction forced many to look at other ways to get their name out. A digital presence whether it be a mobile compatible website, application or a striking social page has become the new acceptable way of doing business. And for good reason.

Worldwide there are 3,80 million users on social media alone (measured in January 2020), with this number increasing with more than 9% (321 new users) since the same time last year. Globally more than 5,19 billion people now use mobile phones, with user numbers up by 124 million (2.4%) since the same time last year. The gloves are off. Businesses have realised that they can’t afford to be ill-prepared or miss out, because the new normal is here to stay.

Design plays an important part in your digital branding strategy because it makes your company unique and recognizable,which is pivotal to being successful online. Image speaks volumes to potential browsers. The days of looking inferior to your competitor is numbered.

If the thought hasn’t occurred to you to invest in your brand or online presence, this is your wake-up call. Online marketing and branding is here to stay.

What is the definition of branding and why is it such a big deal?
Branding is:

  • the promotion of a particular product or company through advertising and distinctive design.

Design plays an important part in your branding strategy because it makes your company unique and recognizable. In today’s digital age you can not afford to look inferior to your competitor.

The success of a brand is largely dependent on how well-designed its products, services, and experiences are. Good design involves careful thought and execution. In a competitive market, your brand foundation can be the difference between a successful business and one that fails to make a lasting impression. Brand managers must understand their customer’s needs, desires, and aspirations in order to create a strong brand foundation.

A strong foundation starts with high-quality materials and people. For a brand to be successful, it must be associated with high-quality people. While new ideas may be tempting to launch quickly, it is crucial to carefully craft brand foundations before launching them. A strong foundation is the building block that allows a brand to deliver on its promises. This will save a brand a lot of time, energy, and money in the long run.

Building a brand strategy can be complicated. It is the foundation upon which your marketing and branding efforts are built. Without a solid brand strategy, it is impossible to succeed in any marketing campaign. Having a brand strategy and key messages will provide the basis for

effective marketing. By defining these, you will be able to focus your efforts on what will resonate with your target audience. Your brand foundation can help you make a strong impact on the market and on the bottom line.

A strong brand foundation can transform a small business into a highly competitive company in the long run. When it is done properly, a brand can transform a struggling company into a thriving competitor. Here are a few tips to get you started:

There are 3 basic design building blocks to get in place if you want to build a powerful digital branding machine that outplays, outlasts and outsmarts your opponent.

1). BUILD A STEADY FOUNDATION WITH BRAND GUIDELINES

Brand guidelines is a comprehensive manual for anyone who uses your brand and its components in their work. This includes employees, channel partners, designers, and marketing agencies.

The Goal of Brand Guidelines is to protect the strength of your brand so that it continues to create value for your company.

Brand guidelines play an important role in managing the perceptions of your company. Every time you communicate with customers, suppliers, employees, investors, journalists, and the community, it is essential to build and reinforce a powerful and recognizable brand image.

2). REFORMAT BRAND ASSETS TO CREATE CONSISTENCY

Many design assets need reformatting to adjust the look and feel of a company’s brand to different marketing channels. A Facebook header for example differs in format and size compared to a mailer header. Advertisements need to be adjusted to the size of the publication whilst a corporate prospectus needs to be formatted to be used for direct selling. Branding companies are masters in reformatting and tailoring different assets to make it adaptable for companies to use. This is an important step in the design process. It will be impossible for a marketing manager to roll-out effective brand strategies without the tools to do so.

3). SCALE FOR SUCCESS

  • Broadcast your brand to every channel available. Cross-promote and re-use. Every touchpoint in your company needs to have your brand stamp on it. Whether it is your social media pages, CRM system, website or App user-interface.
  • Your brand designs should shout: “This is us!”
  • Skimming the design budget is not an option. The digital landscape has changed. Marketers are now more aggressive and more driven than ever before.
  • Now is the time to build a brand that will last with great design and effective marketing strategies.
  • It is a requirement for the new normal.

Visual Render Design Studio specialises in branding. They are experts in UI/UX design for custom software, CRM systems, POS systems, and Apps. They also specialise in traditional marketing -as well as web design. For more information email info@vrdstudio.co.za.

See some example work:

client-2

Leave A Comment