Before You Build A Brand: Know Who You Are

“This does not align with the values of our brand.”We hear statements like this in business conversations all the time. Yet, I have come to realize that it is sometimes difficult to grasp what such statements really mean, especially when we have not taken the time to understand what a brand actually is. So, let us take a look at what happens when Steph decides to start a business without considering the other factors that could determine whether that business becomes a brand people remember.

For a very long time, Steph had been yearning to start his own business. The financial aspect was not the problem. He had funds readily available and was more than ready to begin. What he did not have was clarity. He had an idea. He had money. He had the excitement that comes with finally being able to turn an idea into something tangible. Yet, somewhere in his mind, there was an uneasiness he could not explain.

One day, a friend suggested that he meet a brand consultant. Steph was skeptical. Why would a simple business need a brand consultant? What he had failed to realize was that there is really no such thing as “just a simple business” when you are serious about building something that people will recognize, trust and remember.

Starting a business can sometimes feel like willingly taking the first step onto a battlefield. You may have the resources, but resources alone do not guarantee that you will know how to navigate the terrain. Steph and his friend scheduled an appointment with the chief consultant and, on the agreed day, they went to his office.

As they approached the office, something immediately caught Steph’s attention. The company’s logo was simple. There was nothing overly complicated about it. Yet, somehow, it communicated something. Authenticity, confidence and knowledge.

Nobody had said these words to him. Nobody had explained them, he simply felt them. Steph took a mental note of it. He decided that when he met the consultant, he would ask how a simple logo could communicate so much without saying a single word, they were eventually invited into the office.

They met a man with a warm, welcoming smile. After the basic introductions, they took their seats and got straight to business. Steph narrated his situation. He explained that he had been planning to launch his business for some time but could not shake the feeling that something was missing. He wanted to resolve the uncertainty as quickly as possible so that he could finally move forward with his launch.

The consultant listened, then he asked the first question.

“What is your business about?”Steph answered.The consultant asked another.

“Who are you?”Steph paused. Then came another.“What are your values?”Another.“What is your message?”And another.“Who is your target audience?”Finally:“What personality do you want your brand to have?

“Steph sat quietly.He looked as though he was hearing some of these questions for the first time. He had come prepared to discuss his business, but the consultant was asking him questions that seemed to go much deeper than the business itself and perhaps that was the point.

Steph had been preparing to launch a business without first understanding what he was building. That was when the conversation about branding truly began.

 

So, What Is A Brand?                                         

A brand is more than a logo, a company name or a colour palette. A brand is the identity, meaning and perception associated with a business, product, service or individual. It is what helps people distinguish you from everyone else offering something similar.

Think about it this way: your business may tell people what you do, but your brand helps them understand who you are, what you stand for and why they should care. This is why building a brand must be done intentionally and strategically. And perhaps the best place to begin is with a question that Steph had not adequately answered.

Who are you?

Who Are You? Start With Your IdentityBefore people can connect with your brand, they need to understand who you are and what you offer. Your identity answers questions such as:What do you do?Why do you exist?What do you offer?Who do you serve?What makes you different?How do you want people to perceive you?

Take Nike, for example.

Nike is not simply a company that sells shoes and sportswear. Over the years, it has built an identity around sport, performance, ambition and determination. That identity is communicated through its products, storytelling, advertising, visual identity, language and the experiences associated with the brand. This is the power of a clear identity. When you know who you are, it becomes easier to communicate who you are.

What Do You Stand For? Your Brand Values  
 Your values are the principles that guide your brand. They influence how you make decisions, how you treat your customers, how you communicate, how you respond to challenges and, ultimately, how people experience your business.

A brand may value transparency, excellence, innovation, inclusivity, sustainability, community or authenticity.

But there is an important distinction here.  Do not choose values simply because they sound impressive. If you claim that customer care is one of your values but consistently treat customers poorly, the problem is not your branding.  The problem is the gap between what you say and what you do.

A strong brand does not simply announce its values. It demonstrates them.

Who Are You Speaking To? Know Your Audience                                                                    
One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is trying to speak to everyone.

The truth is, when you try to speak to everyone, your message can become so broad that nobody feels that you are speaking directly to them.

Your audience matters.

Are you speaking to young people? Parents? Entrepreneurs? Professionals? Students? Middle-income consumers? Affluent consumers? A local community? A global market? Understanding your audience allows you to make better decisions about your language, visuals, platforms, products, services and overall communication. Your audience should not have to struggle to understand why your brand is relevant to them.

How Do You Want to Be Remembered ? Build a Memorable Brand                                          
When a company defines its public image, it is essentially deciding how it wants to be perceived.

Do you want to be seen as trustworthy?

Innovative?Professional?Bold?Warm?Affordable?Luxurious?Approachable?

Your brand personality helps shape that perception.  This is where your visual identity comes in. Your logo, colours, typography, photography, packaging and other visual elements should support the identity you are trying to communicate.

But remember, a logo can introduce you, but it cannot build your reputation for you. Your reputation is built through consistency. It is built through what you say, what you do, how you treat people and what people experience whenever they encounter your brand. That is why the simple logo Steph noticed at the consultant’s office communicated so much.

The logo was not working alone. It was part of a larger brand identity.

 By the time Steph left the consultant’s office, he had more than a list of things to do.He had a different way of thinking.He had entered the office believing that he needed to launch a business.He left understanding that he needed to build something people could identify with, understand and remember.

 He now had questions to answer before he launched:Who am I?What do I stand for?Who am I serving?What do I want to say?How do I want people to feel when they encounter my brand?

Only after answering those questions could, he begin to think seriously about his name, logo, colours, communication and other elements of his brand. And perhaps that is something every entrepreneur should consider before rushing to launch.Building a memorable brand is not child’s play. That is why brands such as Nike, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s have remained relevant across generations. Their success is not simply about having recognizable logos. It is about building identities, creating experiences, communicating consistently and giving people something to remember.

So, if you intend to begin this journey, prepare yourself.

Know your business.
Know your audience.
Know your values.
Know your message.
But most importantly, know who you are.

Because before you ask the world to remember your logo, you must first decide what you want the world to remember about you.