5 Steps to Unleash Your Brand Identity

We have all heard the phrase the first impression is a lasting impression. The same can be said about your nonprofit's identity. Your organization's identity or your branding is much more than a logo, it is an arrangement of many different elements that all come together to create an image and express to the public who you are. In order to grow your nonprofit’s reach one of the best things to do is to establish a strong brand identity. Check out some of our branding tips below to help you unleash your brand identity.

Establish your Purpose

One of the primary elements your brand should have is a purpose. This can be anything from an objective to solve a societal problem or simply a story or experience that led to the establishment of your organization. By creating purpose, you add substantial value to your brand for the consumer. Once this purpose is established it should be used as the foundation for your messaging, or even when facing an internal conflict. Just like with people, never forget where you (or your nonprofit) came from.

Conduct market research

When establishing your brand, you should spend adequate time doing market research. Market research is a crucial step when creating a brand. It will not only help you understand your target audience but develop a donor persona for your brand that can help make your marketing efforts more effective.

Develop a Unique Selling Proposition

With tons of nonprofits established in every imaginable sphere of life, it can become difficult to differentiate your nonprofit from one of your competitors. One of the best ways to create this differentiation is through a USP, or unique service proposition. A strong USP will clearly show what makes your nonprofit unique and will have the potential to have a lasting effect on your supporters. So be creative but be patient and begin developing your USP.

Make a memorable logo

When people think about branding, they often jump straight to the company logo. This is because we often connect this visual identifier with the organization it represents. For example, when someone says Nike, we think of the swoosh logo, or when someone mentions McDonalds, we will think of those golden arches. Your logo should be attractive with an appealing color scheme or color palette; consider the Coca-Cola logo as an example.

Be Adaptable

One thing many successful brands have in common is their adaptability. Your brand should be uniquely you but it should also have a little flexibility to it so that as time goes on, your brand continues to be relatable without losing the progress your nonprofit has made.