Karl James & Company’s Karl Robe Makes Case for Municipal Logo
- Karl James & Company Principal Karl Robe addresses municipal logo recommendations.
Karl James & Company recently presented logo insights to a local municipality, which subsequently was covered in Lake Country Now by reporter Erik Hanley. Our work for the Village of Mukwonago includes working with administrator John Weidl on web redesign and brand narrative development, as well as video production of testimonials from local business leaders to support the municipality’s economic development efforts.
How to Develop Your Brand
The perceptions of branding by many organizations centers only on a logo and tagline. Karl James & Company qualifies these elements as visual representations of your brand. We look at logos and taglines as your identity in the marketplace. A visual shorthand, if you will.
A brand is more than a logo and a tagline. The brand represents your promise to produce a specified experience for your clients. A reputable brand allows clients and prospects to trust in you and what you offer, which allows them to say yes, quicker. And, maybe, even pay a premium for your services.
As you consider what your brand represents, ask who are my audiences? What does each think about my offer to them? Are there shared perceptions among different audiences that move them to act on my offer? Is my offer still relevant to them today? Will it be relevant a year or two from now? And, finally, can I deliver on my promise to them? Once you have clearly determined your audiences, and answered these questions, you are on your way to formulating your brand narrative.
Within three to five tightly written and focused paragraphs, your narrative describes the benefits of your offer. Please note this is not a story about features, such as having office space on the top floor of the tallest building. Unless features directly benefit your clients, features are nice-to-haves, whereas benefits are must-haves that result in clients’ affairs running more efficiently and/or effectively. The consistent and repeated use of the messages contained in your narrative is imperative to successful brand development. Equally important, however, is acting in accordance with what your brand promises. A brand is more than words. A brand is the foundation to determine every action you take.
