Learn about branding in 3 steps.

Your brand is what people think and associate with your business. So what do you want people to think?

Branding is often thought of as the visual aspect of a brand but without a clear message directed to a carefully selected audience many visuals can pass completely without notice.

We’ve put together a 3-step process that you can follow when creating your brand. In this first part we will be discussing the brand core.

1. First things first: Let’s define what a brand core is.

A brand core is the honest answer to one question: why does this business exist, beyond making money?

To understand this more simply we can think of it as your character. You have a set of values that signal where you stand on things and what your non-negotiables are, you have a way of expressing yourself, and hopefully a reason you get out of bed in the morning. A brand core is the same thing, but for a company. It’s not the logo, the colors, or the tagline (those are just the clothes!). The brand core is what is underneath your clothes: the actual personality and purpose of your idea, product or service.

Now that it’s clear your brand needs a heart (core), we can explain the components of this core. They are called “core values”.

2. Core values

Defining your brand’s core values, purpose, mission and vision are the first steps in the process of creating your brand. You can do this revision as often as needed, even if you already have an established brand or when you intend to do a rebranding.

Start by putting together a small team of key people within your brand. Gather people that are deeply involved internally with your brand but also people that are involved with your customers. Once assembled, it’s time to think and jot down why exactly you are doing what you are doing.

If you are a solo-entrepreneur then it can really help to bounce your ideas off someone. We can be that someone, giving you useful tips and advice that promote the longevity of your brand. During our decade of experience, we’ve helped different organizations and entrepreneurs define this important foundation through different facilitation methods and informal discussions.

Take your time!

Defining your brand core needs a lot of reflection upon yourself and your brand. Our advice is to divide this step into several meetings and let it take as long as it takes. In our previous post about urgency culture at work we cover why rushing important processes can affect executive functioning, cognitive flexibility and deeper strategic thinking.

Many companies will have their brand core in a very official format such as a statement hidden deep within their websites or annual reports. But how many actually take the time to sit down and feel how they resonate with these statements? Times change and healthy brands adapt to the times.

Recent research backs this up: trust in a brand now matters just as much to customers as the quality of what’s being sold. What builds that trust has changed too. People aren’t looking for a company to make a big statement about some cause, they want honesty, and they want to feel like the company will actually do right by them. That’s why a brand core can’t just live in a PDF nobody opens. It needs to be something a team keeps coming back to, questions when it does not fit anymore and actually believes.

This step is different from brainstorming for a marketing campaign, especially if you’re working with a team. In this step you are digging into the soul and essence of your brand. Try to avoid going into the meeting with the thought that you will come out of it with everything clear and written down, that rarely happens.

This is so that your team can work without pressure and you don’t end up with something forced.

3. Defining your core values

Purpose, mission, vision:

• Why does my brand exist?
• What does the future look like for my brand?
• How do I create that future?

Core values:

Core values are the beliefs that you, as a brand, can stand by and that guide your brand story, actions, behaviors, and decision-making process.

Brand story:

You are perhaps not the only one with this business idea in your area, but there is only one you! Put your story into words. They will always be a guide and a compass for your success.

Moving forward

Once you’ve defined your core values, it’s time to think about messaging. In part 2 of our branding series, we’ll explain clearly what messaging is, why it’s a key element for your brand, and how to plan and produce it.

How UUDLY can help

To help you find your brand we’ve created a Brand Questionnaire. It’s a form that guides you, step by step, through the process of creating your brand. If you want us to send you the questionnaire, please leave your details on this form.

You can fill it out with your team, alone or together with us. If you’d like our help in defining your brand core, then usually in 2 to 3 online meetings we will have your brand core fleshed out.