Building Your Authentic Brand using the Thumbprint Method

Creating a brand for your business is so much more than picking out a few colors, and creating a logo that incorporates your favorite ideas for your business.

The Thumbprint Method

We know a lot of people are telling you in these innanet streets that they can help you develop and bring your baby to life, but before you jump into bed with anybody we want to share with you what we have coined the Thumbprint method for creating authentic brands. First, you have to discover your brand’s soul. Then, you have to define your brand’s persona. After that, you gotta design your brand identity. Then, you bring the baby to life, and you deliver your brand.

“Discovering your brand’s soul” means clarifying exactly what your brand stands for.

When you know exactly what your brand stands for; you will then be able to differentiate it from the competition. You’ll do that by showcasing the unique value your brand has to offer.

Remember this, fam: your brand cannot be all things to all people. In fact, it shouldn’t be. Your brand should deliver a clear and unique message that resonates with your target market.

Here are the elements to help you discover your brand soul:

• Brand Purpose (why)
• Brand Mission & Vision
• Brand Pillars (values)
• Brand Story

Remember this, fam: your brand cannot be all things to all people. In fact, it shouldn’t be. Your brand should deliver a clear and unique message that resonates with your target market.

You can do this by defining the following:

• Brand Voice
• Brand Attitude
• Brand Tagline
• Brand Value Proposition
• Define Your Ideal Client

Lissen: consistency is always the key to building brand recognition; as well as establishing the brand as a frontrunner in the market.

Your identity is the image that you wanna convey to your audience. It includes a clear set of visual design elements; elements that you will use consistently, in all of your marketing, to properly show everybody your brand message.

Here is a list of the vital design elements of your identity system that you should establish before marketing your brand:

• Name Your Brand
• Brand Colors
• Brand Fonts
• Brand Language (taglines, special words)
• Visual Identity
  • Brand Mood
  • Brand Colors
  • Brand Logos *please note the s*
  • Brand Typography
  • Brand Graphic Elements
  • Brand Photography
•  Brand Communication Touchpoints
  • Website
  • Landing Page
  • Social Media
  • Packaging
  • Email
  • Newsletter
  • Stationary

Ah-ite, now that you got your soul, persona, and identity in place; it’s time to share your brand with the world.

But don’t think that just because you share your brand you’re gonna get instant results. Nah, fam. There is a science to marketing.

To get your started, work on the following:

• Creating a Brand Strategy
• Selecting your communication channels
• Growing your audience
• Scaling your business
• TAKE OVER!