Top 4 Benefits of a Strong Brand Identity

I’ll admit it, I’m a bit of a skeptic. Blame it on my pessimistic tendencies or my knowledge of how marketing works, but if you come to me promoting all the great things about XYZ service or course or life-changing greens powder, I’m going to have questions.

So when it comes to the idea of investing in a brand identity, I totally understand why you might wonder if it’s worth the hype. What’s really in it for me? How can a logo and some pretty colors actually impact my business? Let me tell you friend, I’ve seen the power of branding first hand. The impact of a strong brand identity goes far beyond aesthetics. It’s a game-changer for your business in more ways than one.

Here are the top 4 benefits of having a strong brand identity and why it might just be the best investment you make this year.

1. It makes a good impression.

You know how they say, “don’t judge a book by its cover?” That doesn’t apply in the business world. People will absolutely judge you by your “cover” so to speak. 

There was a study that found it only takes someone 50 milliseconds to form an opinion about a website. In literally less than a second, someone will decide whether or not your business is worth their time. And if they don’t immediately like what they see, you’ll lose them.

It may be a little superficial, but that’s just how our brains work. 

We’re unconsciously drawn to things we believe are “pretty.” If we weren’t, companies wouldn’t be spending thousands of dollars on product packaging alone. But they DO because they understand how important it is to catch someone’s eye.

A strong brand identity helps you make a good first impression, and maintain that good impression, which leads me into benefit number two.

2. It builds trust and credibility.

Let’s start with this scenario: A business owner is looking to hire a brand photographer. She’s narrowed her search down to two options, so she pulls up their websites.

Photographer # 1 has a website that immediately catches her eye. The fonts are clean and easy to read, and the colors are beautiful. The layout is a breeze to navigate, the information she needs is easy to find, and the photos are stunning!

Photographer # 2 has a website that looks like it hasn’t been redesigned since 2011. The photography work is beautiful, but there’s way too much text, and the fonts are a bit hard to read. The logo is a little outdated, the colors are too bright, and it took way too long to find the About page.

Both photographers provide the exact same level of service for the same price. So, who does she hire?

I think it’s safe to say Photographer # 1 has the job. But why?

Because even though Photographer # 2 was just as good, the business owner automatically assumed the first one is more professional. Because Photographer # 1 put care and attention into how their website looks.

And if they put that much care into their own brand, there’s a better chance they’ll put that same level of care into taking and editing her brand photos.

See what I mean?

If someone goes to your website and sees that you put a lot of care and attention into how your brand looks, it shows you care about the details. Then the viewer thinks if you put that much care and attention into your own brand, odds are, you’re someone they can trust to take care of them with whatever service you provide.

You get to establish that trust and credibility before your potential customers even talk to you! 

Having that consistent well-defined look makes you appear more professional, making people more comfortable with buying your product or service.

3. It provides a visual foundation.

A brand identity is the foundation of every other visual thing you’ll ever create for your business. If you don’t have it, it’s like building a house without a blueprint.

When you design your website, or social media graphics, or a brochure, or anything else, if you don’t have a brand identity, you’ll end up picking whatever font or color you like, or just go with whatever is included in the Canva template you started with.

But all that does is confuse your audience. Without that visual foundation, you’ll never be able to create a recognizable brand, and you’ll blend in with everyone else on the internet.

BUT with a strong brand identity (i.e. not just a logo), you’ll have style guidelines to follow. You’ll know exactly what colors and fonts to use, which saves you tons of time, and provides consistency which is KEY to a strong and recognizable brand.

Eventually, people will associate your business with a certain style and aesthetic, resulting in better brand recognition.

4. It gives you confidence.

Quick story time: One day, I was chatting with one of my Brand Intensive clients after our project. I asked him what kind of results he had been seeing since launching his brand identity. 

He immediately started raving about the personal benefits he saw in HIMSELF before even mentioning any monetary results like more clients or more website traffic.

He said the minute he saw his new brand identity, it was like something switched in his head. He began to take his business seriously. He was so proud and excited to put himself out there. (spoiler: his audience noticed too).

Obviously the data-driven results are important (we have to make money, right?). But I think we sometimes forget that one of the biggest benefits of a brand identity is the confidence it gives you! And it’s so powerful because it has a domino effect.

When you have more confidence, you promote yourself more.

When you promote yourself, more ideal customers will find you.

When more ideal customers find you, you make more sales.

With more sales comes more confidence!

And the cycle continues.

---

To recap, the top 4 benefits of a strong brand identity:

1. It makes a good impression
2. It builds trust and credibility
3. It provides a visual foundation
4. It gives you confidence

BONUS #5: all of these things can help drive more sales!

Again, there are so many benefits to having a strong visual identity for your business. These four are only the beginning. If your business doesn’t have a brand identity and you want to experience these benefits for yourself, it could be time to look for a professional brand designer! Does that sound like you? Go ahead and book a discovery call to see if Homeward’s brand design services are right for you. Your brand transformation is waiting!