Only 10 percent of startups are successful every year, and with these daunting numbers in mind, crafting stunning visual identity can be that x-factor that will make or break your startup.
Impressive visuals will make your brand memorable and differentiate you from the competition. And even more – it is one of the tools that will help you develop trust and loyalty.
A more distinctive visual identity is also more recognizable to potential customers. And that is a massive milestone in today’s overcrowded market.
Start with defining your core values
To secure your place on the market, you need to define your brand’s core values. Think of them in terms of who you want to be and where you want to go with your business. These are the fundamental beliefs you want to build your organization on.
Start with your vision as an entrepreneur. How will your startup help people or communities? In what way will it change people’s lives?
When you have clear core values and know what your startup stands for, it can serve as a guide when building a visual identity for your startup.
Find the right tone of voice for your brand
The right tone of voice is a major thing for every brand, especially when you are just starting with your business. Your voice will distribute across everything related to your brand – from ads and social media campaigns to emails, website content, and other copies.
A clear brand image with strong visuals and tone of voice are sure to carve themselves into the hearts and minds of your target audience.
Consider the most important things you want your customers to associate with your brand and use them consistently. Start with thinking of three words you want to reflect your startup and buildup from there.
A brand style guide
When there is a team of people working together toward a common goal it is best to have a brand style guide in place. This will help everyone keep the tone of voice consistent across various channels and platforms.
When crafting your startup’s visual identity, think of your industry, products/service, besides your core values. Your fonts, color scheme, and other visual elements have to be aligned with your business.
For instance, certain colors like hot pink may not be appropriate for construction businesses or dental practice. On the other hand, a more formal font style may not be the best fit for a modern e-commerce fashion store.
Be authentic
Create a visual identity that’s genuine, and always stay true to your own set of beliefs and values. The world is becoming more and more virtual, and with so many fake things online, consumers are craving something authentic and transparent.
Brand honesty is a great way to establish a connection with your target audience and earn their trust.
Companies that take close collaboration between designers and startups seriously are the ones that make unique and genuine visuals that are game-changing.
For instance, take a look at what Infostarters do.
This company takes crafting visual identity to another level by allowing startups to participate in the creative process. As a result, you get striking visuals that reflect your unique brand’s personality and core values.
Keep it simple
When it comes to building your startup’s visual identity, less is more. Trying too much at once and overcomplicating the things is not the way to build an effective visual identity for your brand.
It is not uncommon for designers to try to squeeze in many illustrations, photography, or different colors and fonts when crafting a visual identity, but that leads to more confusion and conflicting emotions in a customer.
Decide on a color palette that incorporates several colors, and keep it consistent across all of your channels and platforms.
When you keep your website design minimalist, you are allowing it to showcase the best of your products/service without drawing users’ attention to things unrelated to the brand’s core values.
Evoke distinct emotions in customers
Don’t underestimate the power of emotions. They are often what drive potential clients to your brand, besides utility or functionality. Brands that focus too much on the latter can seem too sterile to consumers.
Start with identifying the emotions you want to evoke in your target audience with your startup’s visual elements. Color emotion guides can help you better understand how visuals and emotions interact.
With effective visual identity, even functional and mundane products can attract consumers and evoke appealing emotions in them.
Remember: opting to evoke certain emotions can make your startup more memorable and trustworthy, and subsequently lead to long-term success.
Prioritize consistency
It is important to note that your visual identity, your unique tone of voice, which represents your core values, have to be consistent across your whole business. This way, you will create a familiarity with your target audience. Check these courses on UX design as all of these elements are part of UX and you need to have a basic understanding of how to combine good experience with great branding
Your logo, the packaging, consistent use of typography, and other visuals can make your startup easily recognizable in the market.
Still, this doesn’t mean that all your social media pages or platforms have to be identical. It only means that the image you project to the outside world has to reflect your brand’s core values consistently.
Speaking of consistency, it has to apply to your offline material as well as the online world.
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