We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: branding extends far beyond your color palette and logo. While these are certainly essential aspects of any company’s character, they are only one step in crafting a distinctiveness to your business.

Your branding infiltrates nearly every facet of your company. From the way that you treat customers to the quality of your communication, creating a distinct brand is all about building consistency and creating joy within the customer experience.

So how do we move beyond the logo to extend our brand? Think of your brand as a single string that weaves through every part of your business – every interaction, transaction, product, service, and process. Any time your business is visible, your brand should be as well. Read on to learn five ways your brand extends far beyond your logo.

 

How You Treat Your Customers

The way your customers feel after interacting with your business leaves a huge impression. It can even become one of your brand’s most memorable aspects. Take Chick-fil-A for example. They are known for their quality customer service, greeting each and every customer pleasantly and ending each interaction with their famous phrase – “my pleasure.” Chicken-lovers flock to them not only for their nuggets and sandwiches, but for the treatment they receive as well.

 

 

How You Present Products

Product presentation is a great way to tie your branding into the actual goods and services you provide. Any makeup addict knows that half of the fun of buying something new is seeing the products lined up neatly on the Sephora racks. Professional makeup bloggers typically make a point to discuss the beautiful packaging and branding of the high-end products they buy. The presentation of these products builds excitement and leads to brand recognition. For example, Urban Decay is known for their edgy packaging style and metallic earthy tones in their famous Naked pallets. On the other hand, the brand Too Faced takes a softer approach by including golds, pinks, and luxe details in their product presentation. Because of their uniqueness and consistency, the branding of these two companies is interwoven with the products they provide.

 

Your Process

Regardless of what business you are in, you most likely have a process. The movement between the first meeting with a customer and the final transaction can vary greatly from field to field, but they all have one thing in common: a distinct process makes the customer feel more relaxed and confident in their decision to work with you. Having a clear-cut method attached to your brand can make you stand out. At Turpenoff Photography, our method includes a pre-consultation meeting where we unearth the heart of your business to figure out how best to capture its uniqueness.

 

Your Consistency

A strong brand provides consistent results. Imagine that you visit a restaurant. You receive excellent service, the food is amazing, and the atmosphere is superb. These are all characteristics that you’ve now attached to the restaurant’s brand. If, however, you return to introduce a friend to the restaurant and receive sub-par service, mediocre dishes, and a distracting atmosphere, any brand consistency has now disappeared. In order to foster loyalty to your business and brand, ensure that you provide consistent service and results.

 

Your Communication

The way in which you communicate with your customers is also a hallmark of your brand. Take BuzzFeed for example. Their quick and witty tone gives their communication a distinctive feel. You also have to consider whether the information you are communicating to customers will be valuable or relevant to them. Say an organic dog food company only sends out promotions on their brand and notices of changes to their formula. Undoubtedly, this is information that many of their customers would appreciate. But how much more engaging would it be if the company also communicated by sending adorable pictures of their four-legged customers, recipes for dog-safe treats, and guides to pet-friendly events? Instantly, the brand’s communication becomes more engaging, useful, and unique.

 

How do you extend your branding beyond your logo? We want to know! Tell us in the comments!