How much should I pay for branding?
Branding is generally described as a company’s ‘identity’, or a set of guidelines to keep written and visual materials consistent across all platforms. It’s a uniform worn by company visuals, a voice heard across all copy, and a personality people want to befriend. Yes, it sets the tone and look of everything related to your business, but when branding gets really clever, it’s more than a superficial identify; it becomes a thought process, or ethos, that consumers want to take ownership of.
Hold that thought. Let’s start by breaking it down into its three core areas: visual, written and strategic.
It’s what people see, the aesthetic representation, or design choices. Think web design, logo, typography, art style, image composition, and colour palette. These choices visually connect everything you publicise, and help people make quick associations with your brand.
It needs to wink as people pass by, but then have enough substance to make friends and keep them too. Any material relating to your company is created according to brand guidelines, and is given one last branding badge before it is published or printed. Why? Because without it, everything would exist in isolation, and without purpose.
How your brand talks. Develop a tone that is approachable and reflects your business, and implement this voice consistently across all platforms. It’s about putting out messages that easily communicate what you do, in a style that will appeal to your audience; think web copy, email content, social media content, article writing and brochure content. Consistent language choices and tone become the familiar voice of your company. The more familiar you seem to your audience, the more inclined they will be to talk to you.
Printed and online marketing content is subject to and unified by the brand voice. Anything produced by, or associated with, your company should sound instantly identifiable; this helps people make quick, subconscious connections between your content, and again reminds them of your brand.
So let’s say you’ve got your visual and written branding, but what do you do with it? Where will it be seen, and by who? What do you want people to think of when they see your brand? How can you achieve this? Positioning is all about strategy; finding, targeting and exposing your demographic to your brand. Help people engage and relate to your brand, and want to become part of its culture. This should always be the starting point for any branding – but is often overlooked. Without understanding the positioning of your brand your agency cannot know what it should look and sound like – so be careful you’re not throwing money away by missing this step.
Make sure you understand exactly what you're being quoted on. A quick logo design is not the same as a complete branding exercise, so take the time to find out what you're being offered and what you actually need.Dave Synergy Director
When a company says they offer branding, they might only be referring to one or two types. So it’s worth checking what it is you’re being quoted on.
For the moment we will presume that you’re looking for the full branding experience; positioning, brand visuals and brand tone of voice. Agency prices vary dependant on size, location and of course the project scope, but expect to pay anywhere from £10,000 to £45,000 for your new brand.