Creating a Brand Identity.

It seems that a lot of projects lately  have been focused on creating a brand identity.

First step?  Let's define what we mean by "brand identity."
Definitions vary but I subscribe to the below:
A brand identity is all the visual elements of a business (name, logo, symbol, colors, fonts, etc.) that together identify and distinguish a brand in a consumers’ mind.

We've all got our favorites, right?

Next Step?  Define your business name and logo.
Often businesses draw from a notable type-face, a specific color or an elaborate icon to determine their logo and even more often companies combine all the above elements to help them define themselves.  For small businesses {and we all start out small, right?} it's often important to develop a tag-line that helps define what you do best. 

Final Stages of Development.
After your logo is designed and tagline is created, your brand has a solid foundation on which to build from.

To be sure that your visual concepts remain consistent, I recommend developing a simple Brand Style Guide for your reference.  Your graphic design or ad agency can help with this as well.  Some important elements to include: 

• Logo versions. How you intend to use your logo in both horizontal and vertical settings.
• Color palette. Be specific. List the Pantone and CMYK numbers.
• Fonts. List font names.

Even more important than developing your Brand Style Guide is communicating its contents to anyone interacting with your brand on a regular basis; employees, consultants, web-developers, etc.

Remember that often times your brand is the first impression you have on clients, prospects and centers of influence.  If you create a lasting impression, you've created a powerful business strategy.