Do you ever look at your Instagram feed and think, “ugh.” And then just doom scroll looking at other profiles wishing your brand looked like theirs? Same. I literally used to do this, and finally two years ago I decided to do a rebrand. Maybe you need to do the same. Keep reading through this how-to guide on how to create a cohesive brand identity and see if you need to tweak some things, or do a total rebrand!
You Need to Understand Your Business Goals to Build a Cohesive Brand
When I decided to rebrand, I did not just get a new logo and call it a day. I went back to the basics. My business plan. Ew, right? Who wants to sit down and write a business plan when we have clients to tend to! But it honestly gives you so much clarity around your business and ultimately your goals for your marketing.
Your marketing plan should be based on your business plan, or they could end up working against each other. And I think that is one of the reasons so many entrepreneurs feel like they are going in circles. There is no direction, no alignment. So, all that to say: nail down your business plan and your business goals first.
So what does that look like? It is an overview of your business including your mission, vision, value proposition, target audience, sales funnel, and more. I know I probably just put you to sleep, but WAKE UP! This is the foundation for everything else in your business.
Also, as business owners, we tend to jump around and start new things without finishing them. Am I talking to you?? A clear business plan with clear goals can help you stay focused. When a shiny new idea pops up, refer back to your business plan. Does it fit?
Understand Who You Are Trying to Reach to Build a Cohesive Brand
Inside your business plan, you should have a market overview that includes your competitors, what sets you apart from them, and who your target audience is. When you have a clearly defined target market, you know exactly what they need and can build your services around that.
For example, when I revisited my vision, values & service offerings, I aligned everything around who we are as a business now. My target audience is visionary business owners — like you — who need help creating a brand identity that is truly reflective of the quality they offer.
This is a business owner who is past the bootstrapping stage and is looking for a strategic partner to take their brand to the next level. A DIY branding course is not what they are looking for. They want done-for-you. And because I know that, it kept me from spending months building out a course and marketing it to people who did not want it. (How awful would that have been.)
Once you understand your business goals and the target audience you are trying to reach, THEN you should sit down and think about your visual brand identity — because that is what we all really care about, right? Build a brand that fits your vibe and speaks directly to your audience.
When I transitioned from wedding photographer to brand photographer, I tried to rebrand, but I did it wrong. I did not think about my ideal client. I just went with something cool, trendy & something I personally liked. I did not think about how others would perceive it.
It wasn’t anything crazy. I was trying to attract established business owners with a somewhat elevated taste, while my visual brand honestly would have appealed better to twenty-somethings looking for fun couples photos. Neither direction is wrong, but I wanted to move toward serving business owners, so I needed to build a cohesive brand identity that spoke to the right person. And I also naturally gravitate toward blacks, green, and tans, so it is easier for me to stay on brand with my current branding.
How to Implement Your Brand Across All Your Marketing Spaces
Once you have a brand you love that speaks to the right people, you have to implement it everywhere. So how do you do that? A brand guide. And you need to use it religiously. Your brand guide should be your reference every single time you create content. Here is what needs to be in it:
- Logo & logo variants: how and where to use each one
- Color palette with hex codes: no more eyeballing it
- Font pairings with actual font files: it is best to purchase a font you love from somewhere like Creative Market so you can upload it across your entire tech stack: editing tools, email platform, website, all of it
- Aesthetic elements: icons, patterns & illustrations that make your brand feel cohesive
- Photography style & content anchors: brand photos if you have them
- Graphic design style & examples: so everything you create has a consistent visual language
Once you have your brand guide, implement it everywhere. Upload your colors & fonts into Canva, use them across your website, carry them into your monthly newsletter. One easy win? Buy a Canva template pack from Creative Market and swap in your brand colors & fonts. That is a great way to start showing up with a consistent graphic style right away.
How to Know If Your Brand Identity Is Actually Cohesive
Okay, so let’s say you have the business plan, you know your target audience & you have your visual identity on lock. Now it is time to ask the question most business owners never stop to ask: does it all actually work together? And if not, how do you make it better?
Cohesion is not about having brand assets. It is about whether those assets show up consistently everywhere your audience encounters you. This is the part where we get honest. Pull up your website, your last five social media posts, your most recent client email & a proposal side by side. Are they consistent in messaging, tone and visuals?
I have a FREE Brand Audit Checklist that walks you through every layer of your brand and whether the pieces are actually working together. It takes you through each part of our Shape, Show, Share system so you can see exactly where your brand may need some work. Or maybe it will show you that your brand is already on the right track and you are simply overthinking everything. Either way, download it and let me know what you find! 🫶🏼
[Download the Free Brand Audit Checklist →]
The Bottom Line for your Brand
Here is the truth: a cohesive brand identity is not just about looking pretty. It is about showing up so consistently, so clearly & so authentically that your ideal client recognizes you before they even read your name. It is what makes a visionary business owner stop scrolling, save your post & eventually land in your inbox ready to invest.
You built something worth being proud of. Your brand should reflect that.
Start with your business goals. Get clear on who you are talking to. Build a visual identity that speaks to them. Document it in a brand guide. And then show up with it — everywhere, every time.
If you are not sure where the gaps are, that is exactly what the Free Brand Audit Checklist is for. Download it, go through it honestly & let it show you your next step.
[Download the Free Brand Audit Checklist →]
Nostalgia Media is a brand strategy & marketing agency helping service-based businesses build clear, cohesive & memorable brands across every customer touchpoint. Learn more about our services at https://nostalgiamedia.info/services
Comments +