If you’d have asked me 25 years (or so) ago whilst studying graphic design at York Technical College what the similarities are between graphic designers and builders, I would have probably struggled to give you an answer. In actual fact there are many similarities between builders and the specialist area of design that I chose to go into, which is branding.
similarities with building?
For one, brands are built, and like anything that is built it needs strong foundations upon which to sit. Meticulous planning takes place before any sketches and designs are even considered and of course there is tea, plenty of tea to be drunk to aid the process and whether you’re a designer or a builder a good old cup of Rosie Lee never goes a miss! The resulting end product for both a new build house or extension and a brand creation deliver equally rewarding feelings of satisfaction and both have a very tangible end result.
Recent projects in the construction sector
The reason I was asked to contribute to Andrew’s guest blog series wasn’t based on the similarities I’ve mentioned above but because in recent times I have delivered branding projects to a number of companies from within the building and construction industry. From small independent, family-run building firms through to Architects and brickwork specialists, estate agents and one off marketing campaigns for select developments.
In an ever increasing visual world more and more building and construction firms are becoming aware of the need for a professional brand and company image. Rocking up on site in a battered Transit van is no longer the norm and builders are well and truly on board with ensuring that their image is up to scratch.
What is a brand?
A brand can consist of a simple logo but quite often it is much more than just that - from the tone of voice and carefully selected words that are used through to colour schemes, imagery and website. Each of the aforementioned items work together to build a brand. So, why is a brand so important to a builder? Well, in truth, a brand is important to all businesses and it should be seen as an investment but within the building and construction industry there are numerous specialist areas that are quite different from each other. Most builders and construction firms have a clear idea of where their specialisms lie and when they are working solely within that field is when they are at their most productive, most profitable even. However, because many firms do not have a clear and well defined brand image or even a brand at all then they cannot convey what their specialism is and this can be off-putting to clients as most clients these days want to work with ‘Specialists’. This will either result in a lack of work in general or not enough of the right type of work.
How do we design a brand?
First and foremost when a branding project is commissioned we ask a selection of questions which will need to be answered in order to identify what the business does, what it wants to do, how it is perceived by its customers and how it wants to be perceived by its customers. This all comes back to the planning and once completed the brand creation can begin. The end results will always produce a stunning looking piece of corporate identity but quite often it will also give the business owner a clearer picture and vision that might previously have been missing. When the brand has been launched, with the right marketing strategy the company will begin to be known as a specialist in their field of whatever that may be. This will result in companies being more aligned to their preferred clients and undertaking their preferred projects based on size or skill-set.
Contact Us
If this sounds familiar to you then please contact me for an in-depth chat about how we can help your construction company to attract more of the right type of clients.
Drop me an email to: mark@ocmdesign.co.uk and I will arrange to call you for a chat about how we can help you.