Branding

Branding Basics

Let’s take a minute to talk about the foundation of branding. There are a few key components that comprise the cornerstones. Those include:

• Logo

• Colors

• Font

• Unified Message

Your visual brand is your company’s identity. Every company’s brand should be different and unique. The image packet represents your total brand. Now, brand and logo are not exactly the same, but a strong image packet can definitely promote your brand. For a consistent client experience, you will want to create a cohesive family of content. Every aspect should have a nice flow to it.

Marketing is a coordination. Your marketing should convey the same look and feel, include common images, and evoke similar emotional responses in your clients. Brand consistency is when your clients and prospects see, hear, feel, and experience the same excellence over time. Branding, consistency, and reputation go hand-in-hand.

How to get started, you ask? There are a lot options to help businesses brand identities.

Logos

• You could build your own, hire a designer, and/or use one logo builder websites.

• Some of the popular sites include:

• http://logoyes.com/

• http://99designs.com/

• http://www.designcrowd.com/

Colors

• When I was creating 401(k) Marketing’s color palette, I thought a lot about color and what color means. The blue is for reliability and stability. The orange for creative and enthusiastic energy. The gray is for openness and collaboration.

Fonts

• There are two main families of font, Serif and Sans Serif.

• A Serif font has ‘feet’ and they guide the reader’s eye forward and should be used in descriptions, paragraphs, and longer text to help the reader continue reading forward.

• A Sans Serif font is without feet and is generally used in headers and stand-out text.

Unified Message

• What is your marketing message? Why are you in the retirement plan space? What do you believe in? How are you improving the industry? What makes your office different, special, and an expert? These are the questions you should ask yourself, when making your brand.

Together, these four corners build a foundation for branding basics. A consistent brand is a visual reminder of your company. It slowly builds equity. Think of branding like a piggy bank; every good experience someone has with your brand, they will make a deposit in the piggy. Over time and with the correct steps, you build brand equity. At 401(k) Marketing, our goal is to make your brand synonymous with retirement plans, expert, and trust.

Thanks for reading and Happy Marketing!

About 401(k) Marketing

We believe the retirement plan industry can do better. Our clients are the best professional retirement plan advisors and TPAs in the business. They care deeply about saving America’s retirement future. We are proud to share their voices through industry writings, professionally-designed marketing materials (including websites), and expert content collateral. We lend support by promoting businesses through ongoing awareness campaigns. www.401k-marketing.com

About Retirement Plan Marketing

Retirement Plan Marketing is a product of 401(k) Marketing and is an ongoing turnkey marketing solution for retirement plan advisors. It is an easy-to-follow, consistent marketing program designed to get you noticed in your community and generate new retirement plan sales. When you deliver relevant plan sponsor content, you add value to your conversations and can work your way up to become known as the “go-to” retirement plan advisory office. www.retirementplanmarketinginabox.com

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/172582

http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-does-your-logo-color-really-mean-infographic

http://www.slideshare.net/BingDesign/brand-consistency-020813

http://www.juuce.com.au/services/brand-design/

http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/11/how-to-maintain-brand-consistency-across-product-lines.html

http://www.mplans.com/articles/brand-standards-create-consistent-image-and-identity/