How to stand out in the tech world
The world of digital consultancy offers opportunities aplenty. However, that’s not to say it’s easy to succeed: sure, there’s heaps of big, exciting business to be won. But in order for your outfit to be the one to get it, you need to stand out.
Setting up digital consultancy DVELP, in 2015, founder Tom Mullen was keenly aware of the competitive environment into which he was entering. After assembling a team with top-class expertise, his strategy to attract clients rested on brand identity. “I wanted DVELP to cut through the noise with a clear, simple and bold message, so we needed branding to match,” Mullen explains.
Working with ICON to produce custom merch which reflects that identity, DVELP is a perfect case study in how a slick brand can offer a clear message about what your business offers. Their DVELP-branded, courier-style cycle backpacks are a case in point: they suggest quality and reliability, underscoring an appealing aura around the business.
We spoke to Mullen to get the inside track on how to build a brand in the digital consultancy world, and how their custom merch played a key part.
How to start a digital consultancy with a distinctive brand identity
1. Be bold
When surveying the competition ahead of launching DVELP, Mullen noticed two things: first, that many were trying to bundle together too many services in their offering, and second, that the branding of most was bland and homogenous.
He wanted DVELP to be clear and distinctive. In concocting their brand identity, he hired Tim Smith at FLUORO, who picked the font “Facebuster” – an appropriately in-your-face name – and crafted the rest of the identity around it. “It’s defiantly bold and edgy,” says Mullen. “In our vivid orange and grey colour scheme, we stand out a mile from the homogeneity of most other consultancies.”
2. Focus on quality
Along with being distinctive, Mullen wanted the DVELP brand – and, by extension, their merch – to be synonymous with quality. This is crucial as, if you’re going to be different, you need to make sure it’s in a way that’s assured and confident.
“When we design merch, we want to end up something you would have bought for yourself in a shop,” says Mullen. “That’s why we work with ICON: we want the best quality materials and finishes.”
3. Nurture team spirit
With remote working teams based around the world, it’s important to Mullen for those disparate employees to feel connected to the company. This was another important consideration in creating the company’s branded merch. “Because our developers in Spain can’t be in the DVELP headquarters every day,” he says, “it matters a lot that they have something physical that connects them with our team identity. They’re proud to be a part of this team and sending out merch for them to use or wear is a great way to reinforce that.”
Want to create custom merch for your own digital consultancy? ICON Printing offer fast turnaround printing on a range of garments, counting a number of clients in the coffee trade, as well as clients ranging from such as WeWork to Boiler Room and the Tate. Get a quote in 2 minutes online.