At this point you should have read blog posts 1-4 start here and completed exercises 1-4. If you haven’t, go back and complete the worksheets and only then come back to this email.
And before I get to Step 5, I want to let you know I’ve created a worksheet so you can easily follow along with this series:
For the worksheet, go to our 6 Steps to Bring Your Brand to Life Worksheets and click on “5-Brand Creative Brief Worksheet”
Step 5 to bringing your brand to life is putting it all together into a Brand Creative Brief
At the beginning of this series I told you how important it was to have clarity. The clarity you’ve gained from steps 1-4 will now translate to everything you do. Today—Step 5—is where you start putting together the pieces that will bring your brand to life. Let’s get started…
Just to recap. You now have…
You’ve clearly defined your brand, using as few words as you can.
You’ve given your brand purpose by articulating Why you’re in business. Purpose is not just about your business. It’s about you—what you love, your values, and what excites you.
This is where you clearly articulated How you are going to help your ideal customer.
You have detailed exactlyWhat your brand will deliver.
The posts you’ve read and worksheets you’ve completed will be your source material for going forward. Creating an effective brand is not just about running through the first four steps though. The rest depends on you and what you want to accomplish with the following mix of elements and media….
- Copywriting and story.
- Visual branding.
- Web design.
- Your ongoing narrative. (Story in the form of blog posts, podcasts, video, etc.)
- Online marketing. (social media, email, advertising, etc.)
- Other media. (e.g. print, books, etc.)
- Direct marketing, networking, getting the word out, and more.
As you begin to assemble your brand, think about this: Does your business need customers or satisfied clients who would gladly tell the world how great you are and keep coming back for more? I think you know the answer.
Now let’s work to outline a creative direction for your brand.
Pay particular attention to your ideal customer and their pain point.
Who are you trying to reach?
What are you solving for them?
How can you appeal to their needs?
If you’ve taken the time to go through my emails and worksheets it shouldn’t be so hard to create a plan focused on those you want to reach.
Start with copy.
Copy is your core and your catalyst. And it’s ignited by you.
There is copywriting:
Ask yourself… What type of writing will appeal to your ideal customer? What keywords will you use on your opening page? What do you want them to do when they view your site? Think about your home page, key pages throughout your website, and profiles on your social media accounts.
Then there is story:
Where you incorporate your why, how, and what into a continuous narrative in the form of blog posts, video, podcasting, etc.
To effectively brand your business you will need good copy and an ongoing narrative. Once you have this it’s easier to design a logo, craft a site that truly reflects your purpose, and effectively promote your business with an ongoing marketing plan.
My favorite quote regarding this comes from Amy Harrison… “Creating regular content does take effort, and then creating content that tells a story takes even more effort. But it is worth it when people are moved (and converted) by the story you tell.”
One mistake I see many business owners and marketing directors make is focusing on design first. If you’re doing this, stop and start working on a story that moves (and converts) those customers you covet.
Follow with design.
Logo Design.
A well designed logo is essential to your brand. And an effective logo can be a simple play on typography. If you go through my first four worksheets and work on copy, the type of logo you need will start to come into focus. You might do this yourself or hire a professional. Whatever you choose, a completed Creative Brief will help you craft a logo that truly defines your business.
If you need further help, read step 4 here.
Website Design.
Modern websites are now media properties. There are many moving parts, but it’s also never been easier to get an amazing looking site up and running. And often a clean, easy-to-navigate site is all that is needed.
If you’re a do-it-yourselfer and want a DIY crash course, Bob Dunn will guide you through the process. Lynda.com also offers fee-based courses. (I’ve used them myself and recommend them highly). If you know about WordPress, you might be familiar with Studio Press and Genesis—their themes are well worth checking out.
If you have additional questions, contact us directly.
I recommend starting with a self-hosted WordPress site (WordPress.org). You might start with a WordPress theme and design the site on your own, or hire a professional. Whichever way you go, a completed Creative Brief will help. Just remember to go through the necessary brand positioning steps first (my first four posts: Start here), then focus on copy, then design and site development.
To learn more about site design fees and schedule read this post about how much a web design costs.
Putting it all together with your Brand Creative Brief:
If you’re a DIYer, this step is important. If you’re hiring a professional, it’s even more important, because it takes time and effort to find the right person for your job. You wouldn’t take your car to any mechanic, right? You’ll be calling someone in armed with a plan.
Today, write out a creative brief. Include…
A. A distilled 2-4 paragraph statement crafted from your focus, combined with your why, what, and how. Basically combining worksheets 1-4 in slightly condensed form. Emphasize your uniqueness and why customers should buy from you.
B. Build messaging around the paragraphs you’ve just completed. Start with copy. What type of writing will appeal to your ideal customer? What keywords will you use on your opening page? What do you want them to do when they view your site? Think about your home page, key pages throughout your website, and profiles on your social media accounts. Follow with story.
C. Start thinking about integrating design with your messaging. Have you thought about the strategic use of color and typography? Is there a particular visual style you think will work with clients? A great starting point is your logo and website. List out a few ideas and sketch out some ideas for your logo and your site. Now list examples of sites you love. Detail what you like about each—design, copy, ease of navigation, or all.
D. A basic outline of the creative stuff you want to do and when you want to make it happen. A budget range is helpful, but not necessary. This could include copy, logo design, website design, email marketing, social media profiles, etc.
Today is the day you outline everything with a mission critical document–your Creative Brief. It will be your creative outline for everything going forward. You may choose to write your own copy and build your own site. You may hire out. Whatever you do, this is your guide to actually build something that represents your brand.
Download my Creative Brief Worksheet and get busy.
For the worksheet, go to our 6 Steps to Bring Your Brand to Life Worksheets and click on “5-Brand Creative Brief Worksheet”
In my next post, we’ll get into a few final details.
Do you want to bring your brand to life? Taking a few minutes to complete our brand audit will help you think about your current marketing efforts and what might need to change. It will also help me suggest several ways to improve your branding and marketing now: Brand audit.
After you complete the form, we’ll contact you to schedule a time to go over the results and see how we can help.
If you are interested in learning more about our branding and marketing process, sign up for my email list below.
The post 6 Steps to Bring Your Brand to Life (Step 5) appeared first on McBreen Marketing.