Your personal brand is its own unique language. Much like learning the finances and marketing aspects of your business, your brand forces you to identify your company’s logo, tone, and overall aesthetic. However, I know that the idea of deciding on your personal brand logo stresses you out. That’s why today’s blog is going to look at some terrific examples of personal branding and logos.
While it’s not uncommon for companies to switch their logo over time, you definitely want to stick with a logo that won’t require many alternations.
Take a look at the Starbucks logo, for example. In its earliest days, the popular coffee chain had a brown packaging label that featured the now-famous two-tail mermaid. While the mermaid has remained intact over the decades, the colors and the depiction of the mermaid has been modernized.
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Even more recently, Planter’s (the peanut snack division of Heinz) recently killed off Mr. Peanut— the company mascot that has been around since 1916! Of course, this was simply a marketing ploy that Heinz decided to take in order to rejuvenate their brand (now we have “Baby Nut”).
If your company logo is going to have a character mascot, you don’t want to have to take the Planter’s route — at least not without 100 years of branding under your belt. Changing your logo (especially a mascot) is going to be jarring and confusing for your customers.
by working with a personal branding strategist, you’re going to ensure you never have to go through the marketing nightmare that is rebranding.
how do you know when you’ve chosen the right personal brand logo? If you follow my steps, work with the right people, and look at some examples, then I promise you’ll feel more comfortable about settling on your logo.
RELATED: WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA BRANDING?
Do Your Research
I mention this in my blog on How I Started My Business From Scratch.
Once you have your company name picked out, and you have a general business plan— that’s when you start to work on your personal brand. This means figuring out your logo, website, marketing… the works.
It’s at this point that you will want to bring on a personal branding strategist. The time it will take you to design your own logo and do research on building a personal brand can all be saved just by working with an expert.
At Stratus Branding, I start by discussing my clients’ wants and needs. We usually chat a bit about their business goals so that I can get a feel of the business owner and the business plan. Getting to know my clients really helps me in doing my own research so I can suggest the best route to take with their personal brand.
Ultimately, I still like to suggest that my clients do some light research on their own. It helps me and my team if the entrepreneur we are working with has an idea of what they want their personal brand logo to look like. They can either create mockups themselves or gather examples of other logos and websites.
Pick Out Examples of Logos You Like… And Don’t Like
If you already know what kind of logo you want, this will make the process go by a lot faster. The best thing you can do is gather 3-5 examples of personal brand logos that you like. Pinpoint fonts and color schemes that you resonate with, along with the brand’s overall representation. It will also be beneficial to define and send us the type of branding you don’t like.
This tiny bit of research will also ensure that your logo won’t be mistaken for someone else’s. It doesn’t really look great when it looks like a rip off of another brand.
Keep in mind, however, that similar logos are bound to happen. For example, if you look at Beats logo next to the Pinterest logo, they look pretty similar. Some other examples of personal brand logos that look a lot alike are Gucci and Chanel and PayPal and Pandora. The letters in color schemes are extremely similar.
And while no one is really going to confuse PayPal for a music service like Pandora, it really speaks to the level of creativity and thought that went behind the brand recognition.
Essentially what I’m getting at is, you don’t want some cookie-cutter personal branding. If you gather examples of other logos and websites that you admire, Stratus Branding can work on a personal brand design that is unique to you and your company.
RELATED: HOW I STARTED MY BUSINESS FROM SCRATCH
Work with a Personal Branding Strategist
I know that you will be tempted to try to create a personal brand logo on your own. But I’m telling you… you’ll save so much time (and money) by working with a personal branding strategist.
It’s my job to guide you in the right direction in terms of setting up your social media, website, and other marketing material. Plus, the design portion of your personal brand (i.e. your logo) is included in our comprehensive services.
Logos, Social Media, and More
As a personal branding coach, a part of my job is figuring out your logo’s font and overall color palette. The fonts, color, and logo that we decide on will need to be present in everything associated with your personal brand. This includes print materials, your website, and social media. Having a cohesive look will make it easier for your customers to identify your brand across different platforms (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, etc).
Your social media posts will need to stick to the same font and color scheme as your website and vice versa. Usually with a personal brand, you want to center around three staple fonts and colors. We can decide on this by creating a Brand Board which will identify your choice of fonts and colors that will be present alongside your personal brand logo. If we develop a long-term business relationship, we can include extras in your personal branding package such as social media templates that line up with your aesthetic.
In addition to narrowing down your look and your logo, we also optimize your biography across your social media platforms. This is just as important as establishing your logo. Your social media bios should act as your Call To Action and simultaneously give people an idea of who you are.
Your logo is important and should be treated with careful attention to detail. anD Just think, while we are laying the groundwork designing your logo, you can be working on your business pitch or some other facet of your business plan.
RELATED: THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING A COMPELLING PERSONAL BRAND
Why Your Personal Brand Logo Is So Important
Think of some brand logos that you are inherently familiar with. For example, most of us can’t think of Target without picturing the red bullseye mark. Likewise, it’s hard to imagine red carpet pictures without the famous Getty images logo intact.
Whether your company is selling products or you are working freelance as a photographer, your logo is an ever-present mark of your hard work. It is your image, your stamp that shows people that, “Hey, I did that.”
Let’s take a look at some other reasons that your personal brand logo is so important.
It Looks Professional
First and foremost, having a logo is, simply, impressive. It makes you look like a professional because you clearly take your personal brand seriously. If you are a company that has a template logo that you bought for $10 off of Fiverr, people are going to be able to tell. In retrospect, your logo will reflect the value of your services.
It Builds Authority
Having that set image that represents your brand also helps you build authority. Your logo is going to establish your presence in an already crowded entrepreneurial world. Once people start coming to you (whether in person, by your website, or on your social media), your company logo and overall aesthetic will start to become familiar with your loyal customers. This, in turn, should keep them coming back for more. A logo will help you establish that authority that will get people to trust you and value your expertise.
Logos Make Your Brand Distinguishable
Again, there are a lot of people out there hustling to make their business stand out. And I know that you’re probably already comparing yourself to your competitors on a regular basis. It’s good to analyze your competition in this aspect because you want to make sure that you’re distinguishable within your industry.
Although I don’t recommend doing this too often, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out on your competitor’s image so that we can work out how to make your logo different. Once we have some examples of personal branding logos, my team and I will be able to set you up with a truly unique image.
It Keeps Everything Cohesive
And lastly, the reason your personal logo is so important is because it keeps your content cohesive. As I mentioned, you want to make sure that your website, social media, and other marketing material all look the same. This makes it so that people can easily identify your company. Your logo acts as a starting point for us to build that brand aesthetic that will be integrated into each sector of your business.
Phenomenal Examples of Personal Branding
Are you still not sure what I mean when I talk about personal brand logos? That’s alright… it’s a lot to take in!
Let me just walk you through some phenomenal examples of personal branding. The following three people are influencers who have built giant personal brands that have given them a loyal following (and a consistent income)!
Rachel Hollis
When people think of Rachel Hollis if they think: author, businesswoman, successful, and fun. Rachel has built her empire as a top motivational speaker by developing a personal brand that her audience of over 1 million has resonated with.
The Hollis company is the benchmark for all of Rachel’s companies. She also has a podcast and her Rise speaking tour that takes her around the country. You can look at any of her social platforms or websites and know that Rachel has had a hand in each part of these businesses. The logos might be different, but the general feel and energy are the same across the board.
Rachel tends to work with bold fonts and light, pastel colors. But in each bit of content that she posts for her brand, what’s obvious is the happiness and go-getter attitude that she displays.
Pro Tip: Make sure your personality is represented in your personal brand. Are you shy? Stern, compassionate, hard-working? Make sure people know this about you.
Marie Forleo
Marie is another terrific example of personal branding done right. She is an entrepreneur who helps other passionate entrepreneurs “bring their dream business to life”.
While Marie is, first and foremost the face of her own brand, a quick look through her Instagram shows that she sticks with a certain style for her company. She also makes sure to include her quaint ‘M’ logo on every bit of her marketing and on her products. This leaves no doubt as to who is selling the product.
And with over half a million followers on Instagram alone, Marie has been able to establish herself and her personal brand that her audience instantly relates with.
Living with Landyn
Landyn has developed a brand and tenacious social presence that most entrepreneurs pine after.
What started off as a lifestyle blog turned into a multi-faceted company. One that brings joy and inspiration to her dedicated fan base. With her persistence and consistent marketing, Landyn has been able to set herself apart from millions of lifestyle bloggers. Enough so that she now successfully sells her own lifestyle products. These range from home and beauty to clothing and jewelry products. Her logo isn’t anything fancy, but it sets the precedent for the overall tone of her personal brand; both online and at her brick and mortar in Nashville, Tennessee.
What are some examples of personal branding that you admire? Tell me about it in the comments below!
Do you want to attract more clients and boost revenue? Learn how to position yourself as an expert, grow your audience, and attract the right clients. Watch my FREE Personal Branding Masterclass today.
