Now that you’ve considered some non-visual aspects of your brand, it’s time to take all of the work you’ve done up to this point and create some visuals.
But here’s the thing: It can be difficult to create visuals for a brand solely off keywords and a mission statement.
What does “vibrant, authentic, refreshing, and bold” actually look like?
Well, it can look like a lot of things. And that’s why it’s helpful to have a visual starting point.
This post is part of Elle & Company’s 4-week Brand Challenge. Click here to see more details, sign up, and access the free workbook.
DAY 7 ACTION STEP
Gather visual inspiration
Pinterest is a handy tool for rounding up visual inspiration for your brand.
(And if you have a creative business, you should be very familiar with the social media platform!)
Use it to your advantage by creating a secret board and filling it with images that accurately represent your brand.
The photos you pin to this board should make you feel what you want your audience to feel when they come in contact with your brand.
As you pin images to this board, use the pin description to make a note about why you chose the image and why it’s a good representation of your brand. These pin descriptions will come in handy as you continue to develop your brand over these next few weeks.
You can find images for this new Pinterest board by exploring your pre-existing boards, typing in some of your brand keywords into Pinterest’s search bar to see which images pop up, or by looking at the boards of pinners whose style meshes well with the style you’re trying to achieve with your brand.
A few tips as you pin to your new board:
Use related pins. The related pins section underneath each Pinterest image is helpful for finding images of the same subject matter, color, or style. This is often the first place I go when I'm in need of other images for the board.
Mix it up. I try to use a variety of image compositions and subjects to give myself a range of inspiration as I'm working on a project.
Focus on the content. I never pin a photo just for its color; it's important that the subject matter and style of each photo matches the direction of the brand.
Steer clear of pinning other logos. I always advise my clients to steer clear of pinning other brands and logos. It’s too easy to get hung up on pre-existing designs, which defeats the purpose of branding. You want to come up with a brand that’s different and distinct; not a brand that blends in with or rips off other brand designs out there.
I’ve included a brief checklist of these tips on page 10 of your workbook.
After you’ve pinned 25-30 images, weigh them against your mission statement, ideal customer, adjectives, tone, etc.
If the pins don’t fit in with the work you’ve already done up to this point, remove them from the board. This will come in handy for the next action step…
When you’re done, share 3-5 of your favorite images in the Elle & Company Facebook Group. I’ve really enjoyed seeing your progress these past two weeks!
