Over the past few weeks I've written about developing your brand and today we're going to wrap that all up into this comprehensive post.  Because branding isn't just a good logo anymore. It is the language woven into your website or the layout of your newsletter.  It is the fonts you use and where you use them.

Essentially anything that you're putting out should have your brand stamp on it.

Visual Branding

To start, there is simple visual branding: the look of your brand.  This is where your brand colors and fonts are important.  To learn more about visual branding check out this article: Branding for Interior Design Business.

Identity Branding

If visual branding is the way that your brand looks, then identity branding is your brand's personality, its soul.  These are the words that you use, but it also goes deeper in trying to attract good clients and clearly demonstrating what your business is about.  Identity branding should include your special sauce and your specialty.

 The ultimate goal is to attract clients who love you for your special talents.

Special Sauce

Your special sauce is what makes you special, what make you unique, what makes you stand out from another designer.  Many designers miss this important part of developing your brand.  This communicates your value to clients and tells them why they should hire you.  Discover your special sauce now.

Specialty

While many designers resist narrowing their focus to a certain specialty, I believe that it will attract more clients and make you more money.  Your specialty should be considered when developing your brand.  In this post on finding a specialty, I give the example of being a pool house designer, if this is your specialty, I would imagine you'd like to consider colors and fonts that make client's think of water.  You want to incorporate this when developing your brand. 

If you liked this post, share with a fellow designer.  #collaborationovercompetition