How to Create a Brand for Your Business (and Why It’s Worth the Effort)

Every good brand starts with a story. (Don’t worry, we’re not talking about an epic novel – think more along the lines of “why did you start this in the first place?”) so you’ve got yourself a mission that you can rally your team behind.

Ask yourself:

• Why does your business exist? (Other than “I quite like having food and rent.”)
• What problem are you solving for people?
• What gets you out of bed in the morning?

For example, Innocent (the fruit smoothie people) started because they ‘wanted to make it easier for people to do themselves some good. Just a simple, tasty smoothie without the faff’. They ‘wanted to make healthy choices simple’, and ever since, that mission has shaped everything the Innocent team does.

So, dig deep. You’ll find that your “why” often ends up being your brand’s North Star – that guiding light that keeps you heading in the right direction, even on those days when it’s raining sideways.

Now we’re getting to the fun stuff. Your brand’s personality is basically the way it sounds, looks, and feels to people – a bit like meeting a person for the first time.

Think long and hard about it… is the business warm and friendly? Sophisticated and serious? Fun and playful? Pick a few words that describe how you want people to feel when they think of your brand.

Some ideas to get you started:

• Friendly and approachable
• Clever with a cheeky sense of humour
• Professional and trustworthy
• Quirky and offbeat

Once you have a sense of your brand’s personality, stick with it. It’ll help you write, design, and talk about your brand consistently, and consistency is key when it comes to building trust.

Again, taking Innocent as an example, they like to think of themselves as ‘that chatty mate who tells terrible jokes but always has a drink ready for you’. They also like to ‘keep things informal, honest, and a bit silly’. That’s their personality, and if you pay close attention, it’s woven into everything, from their packaging to their website!

Now, let’s talk about the people who will love what you’re doing. (Spoiler alert: it’s not “everyone”.)

Defining your target audience means figuring out who actually needs what you’re offering. Are they busy mums? Health-conscious millennials? Dog lovers with a penchant for organic treats?

Once you’ve figured out who your audience is, you can start speaking directly to them in a way that feels personal, using strategies like:

• Leverage customer data for personalization
• Speak in the language and tone of your audience
• Use storytelling to create emotional connections

And remember, a brand that tries to talk to everyone at once usually ends up talking to no one at all. Focus on the people who genuinely benefit from your product or service, and they’ll be much more likely to listen.

This is the part where most people think, “time to make a logo!” But before you fire up that DIY design app, think about your whole brand look – colours, fonts, even the way your packaging looks on the shelf or your website feels on the screen. It all matters.

A good brand look is:

• Memorable – Something that stands out in a sea of sameness.
• Appropriate – It fits your personality and speaks to your target audience.
• Flexible – Works across different platforms (website, social media, printed materials) and still looks like “you” everywhere.

If you’re aiming for a playful, warm brand, go for bright colours and fun fonts. If you’re a high-end luxury brand, you might want to keep it elegant with clean, minimalist lines and a monotone palette. Whatever you choose, just make sure it *feels* right and helps tell the story of who you are.

Back to our example – Innocent decided to keep things bright and colourful here because they’re ‘all about spreading joy and health, and wanted people to feel happy just looking at their products, so it just made sense to reflect that in their design’.

Your brand’s voice is how you speak to people. It’s not just what you say, but how you say it while creating consistency across every message you put out – whether it’s a tweet, an email, or the blurb on your packaging.

To find your brand’s voice, ask yourself:

• If my brand were a person, how would it speak? (Warmly? Formally? With loads of emojis?)
• What are some words and phrases that fit my brand’s personality?
• Are there words or tones I should *avoid*? (For example, a health brand might avoid language that’s too corporate or stuffy.)

A good rule of thumb: write as if you’re talking to one of your favourite customers. If they’re standing right in front of you, what would you say?

Once you’ve sorted your brand’s look, personality, and voice, it’s time to make sure it’s all consistent across every part of your business. Consistency is how a brand builds trust and becomes memorable. If you’re fun and friendly on social media, don’t switch to overly formal and corporate in an email. Keep that same lovely voice in all your channels, so people always know they’re hearing from you.

Consistency isn’t about being repetitive – it’s about creating a feeling of familiarity. When people see the colours, hear the voice, and recognise the tone, they’re much more likely to remember you. Plus, consistency is very handy for building loyalty.

The final piece of the branding puzzle: be prepared to adapt. A good brand isn’t static; it’s a living, breathing thing that grows and changes with the times. You don’t need to reinvent yourself every six months, but it’s a good idea to check in every now and then and make sure you’re still relevant to your customers’ lives.

As long as you stay true to your original “why” and keep that core personality intact, a little bit of evolution can help your brand stay fresh and connected.