Take Charge Of Your Visual Identity To Make It Truly Unique

Community Take Charge Of Your Visual Identity To Make It Truly Unique Lisa PerryAugust 05, 2022Source {"adCodes": [{"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 0, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}, {"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 1, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}, {"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 2, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}], "adsOrder": [2]}

Early in my career, I worked for The Disney Channel, part of which included managing events where Disney character assets were constantly being requested. As I managed each of these events, I followed the Disney brand identity, ensuring it was implemented and executed to a tee. One of the issues I ran into quite often was people requesting events where they submitted their own Disney character art that was not approved, did not fit within the Disney visual identity, and was off-brand.

Part of Disney’s success in creating a recognizable and trusted brand is how they execute their visual identity seamlessly both internally throughout their organization and externally with all of their partners.

Brand Identity

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A brand identity is how your brand defines itself. This includes the brand’s values, beliefs, and personality. It is what you want people to feel when they interact with your brand through distinct visual and audio elements.

All of your visual and audio elements need to work together to resonate with your audience in order to tell your overall brand story in a consistent, purposeful way.

A well-defined brand identity distinguishes your company and influences the way your brand is perceived in the eyes of your consumers, in turn leading to brand loyalty.

Visual Identity

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A visual identity is a collection of visual assets that define the look and feel of your brand, making it unique and recognizable. It’s how you shape consumer perceptions and create a lasting impression.

Importance Of Visual Identity

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Why is having a visual identity so important? Your visual identity is one of the first things consumers notice about your brand. It highlights your brand’s personality, helps create an emotional connection with your customers, and how you stand out from your competition. Your visual identity needs to capture your consumers' attention in a matter of seconds.

• Consumers process images in less than 13 milliseconds
• It takes 50 milliseconds to make a good first impression
• Consumers spend less than 10 seconds making a purchase
• 95% of purchase decisions take place subconsciously

Foundation For A Strong Visual Identity

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While your appearance is the first thing that people notice about your brand, your brand strategy is the foundation that guides your visual identity. Your visual identity articulates who you are, why you exist, and what you stand for.

Here are four steps to developing your brand strategy (brand strategy template) which will help pull together your visual identity:

• Develop your brand purpose, mission, vision, & values
• Create your messaging framework: brand promise, unique selling proposition (USP), value proposition, target audience, tagline, brand essence, tone & voice
• Identify your positioning
• Construct your brand personality

Creating A Visual Identity

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All of the assets in your visual identity need to work together, providing a unified message that tells a story, evokes emotion, and encourages engagement. To create your visual identity, it’s important to understand the elements included:

• Logo: Your logo is the most visible and recognizable component of your brand. Your brand logo’s job is to identify you, differentiate you, and ensure people remember you. It is the “face” of your brand. There are different types of logos to consider. A wordmark is text only—company names, monograms, or initials (Coca-Cola, Subway). A brandmark is a graphic symbol or icon represented by real-world objects (Target’s Bullseye, Twitter’s Bird). Abstract logo marks are conceptual, big picture logos consisting of a symbol that is tailor-made for you (Nike Swoosh, Microsoft Squares). Mascots are images of characters or persons that visually represent your business “spokesperson” (Pillsbury Doughboy, KFC’s Colonel Sanders). Combination logos combine both images and words (Burger King, Doritos). Emblem logos consist of a font inside a symbol or icon, usually a badge, seal, or crest (BMW, Starbucks). Dynamic marks are a new form of logos. Instead of having one standard font, color, and/or text combination for your logo, these elements can now change depending on how it is used. Monogram logos are logos that consist of letters or initials of a company (HBO, CNN). To get started developing your logo, you can work with an agency or use an online site like Canva or Namecheap’s logo maker. Be sure that your logo works across all of your platforms, marketing materials, and at different sizes.

• Typography: Typography is the style or appearance of the text you use in your branding. There are many different fonts and each one evokes different meanings and feelings. Big block letters convey power, strength, and impact while a swirling script communicates elegance, style, and femininity. You can use fonts from an existing library or design one of your own. The key is to identify primary, secondary, and tertiary typefaces that uniquely represent your brand. Be sure to test for legibility across different platforms (i.e. online, OOH, print, etc) to ensure what you’ve selected works.

• Colors: Your brand’s color palette is a set of specific color hues, shades, and tints used across all of your marketing materials. It’s important when identifying your brand colors to understand the psychology, feelings, and emotions associated with them. When selecting your colors, use a color wheel (a circle graphic that helps define the relationships between colors), one main color, two primary colors, and three to five complementary colors.

• Imagery: Imagery consists of photography, video content, illustrations, and spokespeople. In order to communicate the right message, think about the imagery you want to use (i.e. stock photos, original shots, user-generated content). Be cognizant of how you depict people, characters, and/or products.

• Graphics: Graphics can include shapes, patterns, textures, lines, and icons. These extra details can add dimension, help tie together your visual elements, and contribute to your overall brand identity.

Brand Style Guide

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Your visual identity is represented in a brand style guide. A brand style guide are guidelines on how to communicate your brand and deliver a consistent visual experience to your customers. Your brand style guide should evolve over time to reflect the overall brand experience as it changes.

In Summary

Brands that have effectively taken charge of their visual identity systems are recognizable, help tell their brand story in a unique way, bring order to complexity, are authentic to their brand, and ensure consistency across all marketing channels and touchpoints. Start building your brand leadership today. You’ve got this!

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brand visual identity {"customDimensions": {"1":"Executive Community, Lisa Perry","2":"community","3":"brand visual identity, visual identity, brand identity, brand, marketing, branding, creating a visual identity, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:30813588, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:30796689, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:30796705, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:30796821, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:30813595, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:30796921, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:30796956","4":"08/05/2022"}, "post": {"split_testing": {}, "providerId": 0, "sections": [0, 544324100, 544398583, 552342491, 479660731, 473333499], "buckets": [], "authors": [21030904, 20234095]} } Get Some LeverageSign up for The Work It Daily NewsletterEnter emailSubscribeFollow window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_multiplex', ['fluid'], 'wit_multiplex').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.enableServices(); googletag.display('wit_multiplex'); }); Blog 7 Things I’ve Learned About Recruiting Non-Profit CEOs Colleen NeeseJuly 20, 2022 Bigstock {"adCodes": [{"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 0, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}, {"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 1, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}, {"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 2, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}], "adsOrder": [2]}

Over the past several years, I’ve had the honor to lead the recruitment process for 22 non-profit CEOs and have learned a thing or two about what a successful search process entails.

1. Start With A Strategy

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When recruiting for non-profit CEOs, it’s critical to have a well-defined strategy put in place before beginning the search. The strategy is typically created by the search consultant leading the search and that person must gain the buy-in from all stakeholders including the search committee and board of directors. The strategy will include, whether it’s a local, regional, or national search, the must-haves versus the preferred qualifications of the ideal candidate. The strategy will also outline the target audience, including industries, specific companies, and specific roles/positions/people at those companies.

2. Mission Matters

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When recruiting for a non-profit CEO, connection to the mission is critical! For example, when recruiting for a CEO of a non-profit that serves families with disabilities, we targeted people with the skill set to do the job but also uncovered their connection to the mission by finding out if they had direct ties to either serving families with disabilities or had a child with a disability and had the lived experience, or both.

Another example is when recruiting for the CEO of a non-profit that serves families who receive a Catholic education, we uncovered whether or not the candidates received a similar Catholic education or if their children had, therefore providing them with the lived experience and direct tie to the mission.

3. Search Committees Are Necessary

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I’ve had the privilege of working with many different search committees and have found that, for the most part, these individuals are talented and dedicated business leaders who take their commitment to the organization very seriously and dedicate a lot of time to ensuring the search process goes smoothly.

The chair of the search committee is typically my main point of contact and the person who dedicates the most time to the process and is also the final decision-maker in certain situations. My job is to make the search as seamless as possible and to take as much off their plate as possible.

4. Non-Profits Need Strong Business LeadersBigstock

After recruiting in the for-profit world for many years before switching to the non-profit sector, I have found that many non-profits are in need of business leaders who are just as strong in their business acumen as their for-profit counterparts. In fact, many leaders from the for-profit sector welcome a change into the non-profit sector, bringing in a fresh perspective, while having the opportunity to use their many skills to help their community.

5. Non-Profits Need To Ensure Fiscal Responsibility Towards Their Mission

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It’s so important for the money to go towards the mission, and not towards unnecessary or wasteful spending. Uncovering how a CEO has grown the reach of their organization and how they’ve grown the budget, while staying true to the mission, is important information.

6. Fundraising Is A Critical Skill Set Needed

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For small non-profits, the CEO is oftentimes the primary fundraiser. As an agency grows, so does the need for a development department. No matter what the size is, fundraising is always a critical component and although many non-profits receive government funding, diversifying funding streams and bringing in revenue to support the mission is so important!

7. Non-Profit CEOs Are Some Of The Most Brilliant, Compassionate People On The Planet!

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One of the best parts of my job is getting the opportunity to work with people who have used their time and talents to make our world a better place. Whether they are helping people experiencing homelessness, hunger, or violence, or helping people who have disabilities or critical illnesses, many of these leaders are angels on earth making our world a better place!

If you need to recruit for this type of position, please contact me at [email protected] or (602) 802-8329 or on LinkedIn.

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Performance reviews can be intimidating, especially if you aren’t sure how to prepare and what will be discussed. Either way, it’s critical to spend extra time setting yourself up for success during this meeting with your manager.

Think of these meetings as a valuable opportunity to speak with your manager about growth and goals moving forward in your career. You’ve got this!

In this training, you’ll learn how to:

• Get clear on your goals both individually and within the organization
• Effectively prepare for the annual meeting on your performance with a manager
• Develop effective speaking points that contribute to your growth and accomplishments as a professional

Join our CEO, J.T. O'Donnell, and Director of Training Development & Coaching, Christina Burgio, for this live event on Wednesday, August 24th at 12 pm ET.

CAN'T ATTEND LIVE? That's okay. You'll have access to the recording and the workbook after the session!

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