Corporate identity design in 8 steps

Introduction

When you hear the word "corporate identity," you may initially think primarily of a logo. But a corporate identity is much more than just wrapping your company name in an attractive picture. A corporate identity is your company's visual identity and a way to reinforce your brand. That makes it important to approach developing your corporate identity carefully and professionally. How do you go about that, having a logo and corporate identity designed?

What is a corporate identity?

Corporate identity is the visual identity of a company and consists of various graphic elements, such as the logo, colors, fonts and imagery. These elements are implemented in all the company's communication tools, from website to e-mail signature and from business card to company car.

Why is a corporate identity important?

A strong corporate identity ensures recognition and uniformity. At a glance, it is clear which company it concerns. The corporate identity also provides distinctiveness. It is therefore important that your corporate identity fits well with your desired image and the product you sell. For example, a brand for baby clothing usually has a cheerful visual identity, with a playful font and bright colors. A motorcycle clothing brand, on the other hand, goes in a completely different direction. Your corporate identity thus helps determine your company's image. A good corporate identity can also exude confidence and professionalism.

Well-known examples of strong corporate identities

Some corporate identities are so effective that you instantly recognize them everywhere. Think of Apple's corporate identity, with its clean, minimalist lines and the recognizable apple with the bite out of it. Or that of Netflix, with its recognizable red logo on a black background. HEMA also has a very recognizable corporate identity, with its very own font, lots of white space and, of course, its bright red logo. If you walk past a HEMA billboard, your brain unconsciously immediately registers who the sender is.

Who can design a corporate identity?

As a beginner, you probably have a small budget. It is then tempting to craft a logo yourself in a program like Canva or Photoshop. However, it is advisable to hire a professional logo designer to do this. This can be a good freelance designer who does not immediately charge top dollar, or a communications and design agency, which takes a more comprehensive approach and can also help you in the area of brand strategy. Carefully weigh the costs and benefits for your business. Whatever you go for, a professional corporate identity designer can help you effectively capture your wishes in a catchy visual identity that fits what your company wants to project.

Develop a good corporate identity in 8 steps

Step 1: Come up with a good business name.

Your company name is the basis of your identity, and it should fit what you have to offer. Learn more about coming up with your business name here.

Step 2: Look for a corporate identity designer that suits you.

Look at several portfolios online and ask fellow entrepreneurs about designers they have had good experiences with. Look at the designer's design style and approach and make your choice based on that.

Step 3: Appearance

Decide what you want to radiate. What should your image be? What feeling should your corporate identity evoke? Who is your target audience? What product or service do you sell? This will determine the style you will use and the message you want to convey.

Step 4: Logo & slogan

Together with your designer, develop your logo, the basis of your corporate identity. Here you can read how to design a logo and what it should meet. If necessary, think of a strong slogan, which can further strengthen your image.

Step 5: Fonts, colors & type of photos

Satisfied with your logo? Ask your designer to further develop your corporate identity based on it. What fonts do you use, what colors, what kind of photos or illustrations? The use of images is very important in your communication, because images are an inseparable part of your visual identity. Do you choose images that always feature people? Color or black and white? Abstract or concrete? What fits best with what you want to convey?

Step 6: Communication

Have your corporate identity translated to all your communication tools. Stationery, newsletter, company clothing, company car, offers and invoices: your corporate identity should be incorporated in the same recognizable way everywhere.

Step 7: Tone of voice

It is not part of the visual identity, but it is part of the corporate identity nonetheless: your company's tone of voice. It is important that you use the same tone in all your communications, the voice in which you communicate with your target audience. Do you address customers with "you" or "your"? Is your tone businesslike, or very warm? Your tone of voice should fit seamlessly with your brand identity and image.

Step 8: Create corporate identity manual

Ask your designer to draw up a concise corporate identity manual that tells employees how to use the corporate identity. This will ensure that everyone in your company uses it in the same way and that your visual identity is correct in all your expressions.

What is the legal situation if you want to have a logo and corporate identity designed?

When you want to have a logo and corporate identity designed, you also have to deal with the legal aspect. Your logo and corporate identity designer can tell you more about this, but what is in any case important to know is that the logo and corporate identity you have had designed by a designer are under copyright. For example, the logo designer you had your logo designed by retains the copyright on the logo.

It must, of course, be an original design that was not conceived by someone else. Copyright arises automatically with an original work and does not need to be recorded anywhere. Others may not use or copy the corporate identity and logo without permission. So you must ask permission from the designer to use the logo and corporate identity, otherwise you could be fined. You can also agree to transfer the copyright. Therefore, document your agreements on this matter.

Also pay attention to copyright when using photos for your logo or corporate identity. You are also not allowed to use copyrighted photos or images in your designs. So do you see a nice photo online? Then it is probably copyrighted. Even the stock photos on special websites for stock photos are subject to rules. Even if you edit or crop photos, you can be fined for this. And those fines are not cheap! So quickly grabbing a photo from the Internet is not a good idea. Today's clever software quickly detects the illegal use of photos. Listing the creator of the photo is not enough if it is for commercial use. The best option is to have a photographer take your own photos for your corporate identity. There are also copyright-free databases.

What does a logo / corporate identity design cost?

There is no standard answer to this question because the cost of having your logo or corporate identity designed depends, among other things, on the complexity of the design, the cost of any copyrighted images or photos, printing, the creation of templates or a handbook and the use of software. As a result, costs can vary widely. However, to give you an indication, having a logo designed costs on average between €200 and €3000 for SMEs. For corporates it often runs into the tons to millions. Having a corporate identity designed will cost you between €1500 and €5000. Because a good corporate identity can last for many years, it is well worth the investment. If you are going to have your logo or corporate identity designed, do it right the first time!