Branding, branding strategy, brand identity, logo design… Isn’t that all the same thing?! This was my first question when I started to learn more about branding and the information overload was TOO MUCH. It sounds all the same, but in reality, there is a difference between branding strategy and brand identity, so let’s talk about that today.
Branding and brand identity are NOT synonyms
Yes, they do work together and usually you take care of both of them, but at its core they are different. This is why, if you want to have a solid business, you need to have strong, consistent and thoughtful branding and brand identity, not just one or the other. Think of these two words as the foundation of your business. You won’t be able to keep on growing if one of the other is missing, and they need different care.
So, let’s start with branding.
Branding in one word is an experience. It’s that special relationship you create with your clients, and it’s the reason why people pick YOU. Of course, you are also very skilled and you know how to do the job, you have referrals and shining testimonials… But ultimately people love to work with you for a variety of factors and your personality is the top reason. Have you ever had a client saying “I am drawn to you”? That, my friend, is branding.
Another branding example can be your brand story & brand voice. The way you express yourself and the overall language you use in your branding can (and will) invoke some feelings in your potential clients. I curse quite a lot bot in real life and online, and I am attracting other people that are not afraid of cursing. It’s very unlikely that a person that hates curse words would jump in my DMs wanting to work with me (even if not impossible!).
Your mission and message are also great examples of your branding. This includes your values, what you stand for and what you stand against, and it’s overall a great branding asset. When people align with your values, it’s much easier to bond with the client and to make the relationship work.
Branding is the soul-searching part of the work.
It is where you sit with yourself and you answer deep questions and, if you skip this, it’s gonna be challenging to create something that feels “yours”. Branding is much more about the experience than it is about the visuals.
So now you know what branding is, let’s move on to what is brand identity
Brand identity is what we see and feel about your business, by seeing their visuals. With the branding you were able to lay the foundation, and thanks to these same foundation you are now able to recrate visuals that support your message (and business). Brand identity is everything that you see, meaning that colors, fonts, logos, imagery, and mood board are all part of your brand identity.
Now, the challenge is not finding the right colors or fonts, not even creating a mood board. This is the easy part. We want to make sure that your branding (personality, story, message, values, and more) translates into visuals. And you can finally use all of your favorite psychology tips and tricks (colors psychology, font psychology, shape psychology… bring them on!).
Creating your branding and brand identity is gonna be fun and an exciting task if you take them one at a time and don’t rush too much the process. We want to make you recognizable as much as possible, and it all starts with branding.
Your branding and brand identity should become ONE
This is how you know you did an amazing job with your branding. And trust me, it doesn’t have to be difficult, hard, complex, or just for successful people. When you bring the real you to the table, how can be yourself be hard?
So now tell me:
Are you working on both branding & brand identity?
Pssst… If you want to dive deeper into your branding the DIY way, check my Freedom-Based Branding kit! If you’d rather have me help you, hit me up!
