Differentiation is all in the details.

While borders and backgrounds may seem insignificant and small compared to logos and color palettes, they can have a large impact on the consistency and professionalism of your brand.

You already determined your graphic style last week, so considering your borders and backgrounds should be a fairly easy task.

This post is part of Elle & Company’s 4-week Brand Challenge. Click here to see more details, sign up, and access the free workbook.

DAY 16 ACTION STEP

Consider borders and backgrounds

A few things to consider:

How will you divide sections of content on your website and collateral items? Will you use a simple line or will you mix things up with a custom border like Sincerely Amy’s postage-inspired brand?

Will you use solid color backgrounds? Will you use semi-transparent blocks of color over images for text?

Will you use chalkboard backgrounds? Textured backgrounds? Wood? Metallics?

Will you utilize white space and keep things clean and airy?

All of these questions should be considered and addressed before you start implementing your brand on your website, collateral items, etc.

As you work through this step, think back to the work you did in Week 1 with keywords and your mission statement, as well as your graphic style, and consider which options make the most sense.

Get creative with it, too!

Small details like this may not seem to make much difference at the outset, but they can play a huge role in brand recognition and memorability. They’ll also make designing brand graphics much easier in the long run.