The Foundations of a Strong Brand: Branding Strategy & Tips

Branding is used by the world's largest businesses and non-profits to grow and drive sales.

A strong brand helps your business differentiate itself, build client loyalty, and communicate your values and mission.

It also influences how people view your business and is absolutely essential to creating long-term relationships and success in the marketplace. 

We know consistent branding can increase a company's revenue by up to 23%.

We also know that 46% of consumers tend to pay more when purchasing from a brand they trust.

So, with all this data available and modern examples of strong branding from some of the largest companies in the world (Coca-Cola, Tesla, and beyond), why do new businesses and non-profits so often overlook this foundational element?

This blog lays out what differentiates a weak brand from a strong one, with guidelines you can follow to ensure your brand is on the right track.

Whether you’re starting a new business or have an existing business, this blog will give you the information you need to ensure you have successful branding for the long term. 

What is Branding?

Your brand is your business's identity and what differentiates it from your competitors. 

Your branding includes all the materials that support your brand, including a logo, tagline, visual design elements, and tone of voice. Branding also encompasses your values, mission, story and the overall experience you provide your customers.

The most important thing to understand about a brand before you start creating one from scratch (or revamping an existing one) is that a brand is all about how people feel about your business. 

This quote by Ashley Friedlein sums it up:

“Brand is the sum total of how someone perceives a particular organization. Branding is about shaping that perception.” 

Every component of your brand, from your colour palette to the logo, typography, fonts, and voice you use, should all work together to reinforce a particular feeling you want people to have when they see and interact with your business. 

Building a strong brand becomes a lot easier when you understand this fundamental piece of branding. 

Why Does Branding Matter?

A strong brand can set you apart from your competitors, help you build trust with your audience, and significantly impact your long-term success. 

But there are actually dozens of other compelling reasons for investing in good branding. 

• Strong branding helps people remember and identify your products or services quickly.
• When people have positive experiences with a strong brand, they are more likely to remain loyal and recommend it to others.
• People are more likely to trust a company with consistent and strong branding, which can be helpful when expanding or launching new products or services.
• Strong branding can help people build an emotional connection with your business, making them feel like they are a part of your story and values. 
• A strong brand gives you an edge over your competitors. It highlights what makes you different (and why people should care).
• A strong brand can enhance the perceived value of your products or services. Remember: 46% Of consumers tend to pay more when purchasing from a trusted brand.
• A strong brand can attract high-quality team members who want to be associated with a respected and trusted business.
• A strong brand foundation sets the stage for growth as more people trust you and your reputation. 

If you want your business to succeed and go the distance, establishing a strong brand is the first and most important step. 

Building Your Brand Identity

Now that you understand how important branding is to the success of your business, it’s time to build your brand identity.

The steps below will either help you develop your branding from scratch or refine your existing brand. 

Step 1: Define Your Brand Purpose and Values

Start by identifying what your company or non-profit stands for and what your mission is. Your brand values should resonate with your target audience and be reflected in everything you do. 

Take Tesla, for example. Their mission is clear: "To speed the world's transition to sustainable transportation,” and their vision is to “become the most attractive automobile company of the twenty-first century by spearheading the world's shift to electric vehicles."

Their values include taking chances, continuous learning, and environmental responsibility.

These clearly defined principles and vision for the future are the foundation for everything that comes out of their brand, from their products to their internal systems, marketing materials and beyond. 

Step 2: Define Your Audience

Knowing who your audience is and understanding their pain points is essential.

Conduct market research to gather insights about your audience's preferences, behaviours, and needs. Learn as much as you can about them so you can create branding that resonates and products or services that solve their problems. 

Let’s look at Tesla again.

Their target audience represents a relatively small share of the overall car market. Tesla customers are typically well-off, highly educated professionals and families with large incomes who are motivated to reduce their carbon footprint.

Tesla customers care deeply about global warming.

Tesla uses this information to curate its branding and materials to resonate with its customers' tastes, including minimalist design choices and a website centred around its products and the benefits it has for the environment. 

Step 3: Craft Your Brand Story

Your brand story should convey your mission, vision, and values.

Think of it as the “why” behind your business.

What are you here to do?

How did your business come to be?

Remember — your story should be authentic and designed to build an emotional connection with your audience.

When Tesla was first founded, the original owners, Martin and Marc, had a simple goal: create an electric sports car that performed as well as gas-powered vehicles and was competitive in price with a sports car.

Elon Musk caught wind of their idea and hopped on board, but wanted to go even bigger: produce these electric vehicles for the mass market. 

The Tesla story is compelling in a few ways, but the biggest reason people connect with it is the desire to make a difference.

Martin and Marc wanted to improve the world by building better cars.

People who identify with the same passion for a more sustainable planet connect naturally with their story and, as a result, want to support the brand as they work towards their goal. 

Step 4: Design Elements: Logo, Colours, and Typography

The next step in developing your brand is creating your visual identity and branding materials.

This includes your logo, colour palette, and typography. These pieces should be consistent and consider everything you have established up to this point.

Do the colours I chose properly portray my brand story and values?

Does the font I like connect with my audience? 

Tesla considered all of these factors when creating its brand identity.

For example, the Tesla logo is a stylized representation of an electric motor, the core technology behind the business and product.

Meanwhile, the sleek, minimalist design of the logo reflects the elegance and modernity of the brand and is designed to contrast other traditional automotive companies which helps Tesla differentiate itself in the marketplace. 

We loved this article by Patrick Geider, which discusses all things Tesla branding.

Now You Need Brand Consistency

Now that you have all the pieces of your branding in place, your next mission is to ensure that everything, from your brand values and story to your visual identity, is consistent across every material you create.

That includes your website, social media, marketing materials, and beyond. 

So...

How do you maintain brand consistency over the years? A brand guide. 

How To Develop a Brand Guide

Create a comprehensive brand guideline that includes everything you know about your brand.

It should include everything from your mission statement, values, brand statement, and story to usage rules for your logo, colours, fonts, and tone of voice. 

It can even spell out how you like to communicate internally with your team, how you interact with customers on social media, and more. 

Insider Tip: If you don’t have the budget to have a professional brand designer create brand guidelines for you, Canva has dozens of templates you can develop. 

Already have a brand and guidelines in place? If you're unsure if your current branding is consistent, ask yourself these questions: 

• Are the core messages and values of my brand reflected consistently across all channels?
• Are my logos, colours, fonts, and other visual elements used consistently across all platforms?
• Is my brand’s tone of voice consistent in all communications, whether it’s social media, website content, emails, or advertisements?
• Are all team members and partners adhering to the brand guidelines in all materials and communications?
• Do customers receive a consistent experience when interacting with my brand across different touchpoints (online, in-store, customer service, etc.)?
• Are all my social media profiles (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.) using the same profile pictures, cover images, and brand descriptions?
• Are my employees trained and regularly updated on the brand standards and how to apply them in their roles?
• Are regular audits performed to ensure brand consistency and find areas where we can improve?

Consistent branding makes it easier for customers to choose your products or services over your competitors. It also helps build a recognizable and reliable brand. 

Remember—consistently presented brands are 3-4 times more likely to achieve strong brand visibility than inconsistent brands. 

Do You Need Branding Support?

Spark & Pony is a remote creative agency with over 34 years of experience helping businesses and non-profits create strong brands, attract new clients and increase ROI.

We specialize in working with impact-driven businesses and non-profits to create meaningful brands that stand the test of time. Our services include strategic branding and website design. 

Whether you need to build a brand from scratch or need help revitalize your existing brand, we are here to support you.

Want to chat about your options? Need an expert opinion on what to do next? We’ve got you covered. 

Book a free discovery call here or explore our strategic branding services here.

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