Quick Trick #1: Use Your Logo
While this may seem like a no-brainer, your logo is what identifies your company. It is a mnemonic device (something people associate with an idea or concept to remember it) and it should be present. Tied to your logo is a color scheme. Use it. The two together—logo and color—function as iconic symbols and they will help people remember you the next time they’re looking for your services. If you don’t believe me, take this quiz test (or any other similar test) and see how you do. You’ll probably know about 80% of them. Use your colors and logos on your walls, tables, pens, vehicles, napkins, and so forth. Of course, don’t be overbearing with them, but use them conspicuously.
Quick Trick #2: Use the Right Typefaces
Typography is a critical component to branding. Use typefaces that are legible and that communicate the appropriate personality of your business. Some graphic artists put it this way: typography is like the clothing on your words. Whatever you dress your words with (whether it be a menu in a restaurant or a business letter) you are communicating subtle message about your company’s personality. Stay away from default fonts like Times New Roman or Calibri. Most importantly, stay away from fonts that have become hated! Comic Sans and Papyrus (and even Trajan Pro) have become so widely used and they have such a unique feel to them that many people intrinsically have begun to hate them. You don’t want that association with your business!
Quick Trick #3: Create a Style Guide
If you don’t have a style guide, it’s time to create one. Style guides function as a reference for you and all your employees to keep your logo, colors, slogans, and typography consistent. It may seem like a hassle at first, but if your communications are consistent, customers (even subconsciously) sense stability and consistency. If your letterheads, envelopes, business cards, posters, signs, and so forth don’t keep consistent typefaces and logos, your company will quickly feel unprofessional.
Quick Trick #4: Design an Experience
Author Nathan Shedroff made a great point: every experience should have an attraction, an engagement, and a conclusion. Think about when you walk into a place you really like. What makes you attracted to it? What do you enjoy while you are there? Usually we are attracted to something, so think about what attracts your customers. This could be something as simple as cleanliness, but think more about branding. Consider putting elements in your store or business that are fun and unique. Artwork, mascots, and plants are all useful tools for creating an atmosphere that people enjoy. Consider all five senses. What will your customers see, hear, smell, feel, and even touch when they walk in?
Quick Trick #5: Be Consistent
Perhaps in summary of the other four, one of the biggest rules about branding is to be consistent. If you have more than one location, design them similarly. But even if you have only one location, make the experience consistent. People become familiar with places and that familiarity is comforting. In your marketing, make sure that your documents are consistent all the way around; use your colors, typography, and even paper consistent. Create a suite of documents (letterhead, envelopes, business cards, brochures, etc.) that are uniform and use them when communicating with your customers. The more cohesive your communication design, the more visible and memorable your business will become.