Your prospects ability to recall your brand can be greatly enhanced by how consistently your identity is used. In regards to your logo, it’s a good idea to pre-determine guidelines for how it can be used. Doing this will help preserve the primary thread between the marketing and advertising of your brand.

If you are a small business, likely, you do not have a ton of money to throw at brand recognition. Brands like Coke can buy more billboards, purchase bigger ads, etc. As a small business, you must optimize the effectiveness of the resources you have. When you get in front of a potential customer you, have to make the most of it. Don’t water down your identity with different logos, colors, fonts. Without a consistent level of design, the desired effect will not be as memorable. Consistent design standards will help you make the most of every opportunity.

Consistent usage of your logo will elevate the impact of your brand, but only when used correctly. You can ensure proper usage by including a set of clearly defined guidelines for your logo. Those guidelines might include:

• The amount of negative (or white) space around your logo.

• Specific CMYK breakdown of acceptable background colors.

• If your logo can be used inside a shape, like a box or circle.

• What fonts and/or font sizes are appropriate if any information is to be added to your logo, such as an address or phone number.

These are just a few things to think about anytime your logo is used. (It’s always a good idea to consult with the designer or agency that developed your identity when determining such guidelines.)

Once you have determined your guidelines, make sure they are clearly written and attached as a separate file, along with your marketing materials. This way, it is always available when your logo is requested.

Inconsistent use of your logo will only confuse your audience and dilute it’s impact. How your identity is used can have a positive or negative effect on your brand. It’s up to you to see that your brand is communicated correctly. Make sure anyone working with your logo is familiar with it’s guidelines for use. Good luck!

This entry was posted on Monday, August 27th, 2007 at 10:44 pm and is filed under Branding. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.