In the competitive world of hospitality, it’s more important than ever to strategically set your brand up to thrive and truly stand out from the over-saturated crowd.
Before you jump into selecting a name, designing a logo and refining a colour palette, take some time to define your brand’s personality and what you want the end result to look like – from your core values, vision and messaging to the tone of voice. This is an essential step to effectively communicate your concept to potential customers.
While the process may seem slightly daunting, it’s a task best conquered with a design consultant by your side. Here at H2R Design, we are committed to helping you find your unique identity and help shape it from the brainstorming phase to launching to market and beyond.
Here are five steps to include when creating and shaping a brand identity:
1. Create Your ‘Brand Heart’
This crucial first step allows you to make sense of all that brilliant passion and enthusiasm for your brand and what you wish it will become. Grab a piece of paper and start mapping out the purpose, vision, mission and core values that will underpin everything you do on the journey to bring your brand to life – whether it’s a restaurant, café or another hospitality concept.
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By creating a ‘Brand Heart’, we can clearly outline key questions such as:
- What do you want to create?
- Why do you want to create it?
- How are you going to accomplish it?
Answering and refining these simple questions can provide the framework of your brand story and how you want it to unfold. After all, building that empire of yours will require some solid foundations!
2. Identify Your Target Customer
So, you’ve got an awesome business idea in mind. Great news! In order for it to survive and thrive, you’ll need to figure out who will be as excited for your brand as you are aka. your target customer.
Going beyond standard stats such as age, gender, and spending habits, it’s key to figure out how can serve your target customer and become an indispensable feature in their lives – whether being their new favourite café, go-to spot for the best coffee in town, or where they head for a night out on the town. Think creatively about what they want and how you can offer that with your business.
Better yet, start up a conversation with potential customers and figure out how to best engage with them in the lead up to launching your brand and beyond. The goal here is loyal, long-term customers who become automatic advocates for you.
3. Define Your Narrative
How are you going to tell your brand story in all its glory? Your brand identity will be projected via a cohesive mix of communication channels including social media, website, press material, in-store marketing collateral, imagery, video and so much more. To help target customers get on board and identify with your brand, it’s important to key messaging clear, concise and consistent (think of it as the three C’s).
4. Pinpoint Your Competiton
It’s a wild, oversaturated world out there but a thorough understanding of your competitive landscape can help you capture interest from potential customers. Firstly, figure out who your competition is and then how you stack up in comparison, both in regards to how you are perceived and how your brand identity resonates in the market.
Pay close attention to trends as well as what does well in terms of market longevity. It’s about showing authenticity to gain credibility and trust, not reinventing the wheel.
5. Shine The Light On Your USPs
What makes your brand a snowflake? Why can you offer your target customer that your competitors can’t? This is your value proposition – be it a one-of-a-kind menu, amazing service, or Pinterest-worthy interiors. Your brand identity should include plenty of information and visuals on what you offer, why it’s awesome and why people should swing by and check it out.
The H2R Design team are here to help you craft the best brand identity for your business, whether it’s starting from scratch or giving it a much-needed refresh. We will guide you through the process to ensure your business stands out from the crowd and most importantly, is something you’re proud of. Get in touch with us here.
