Branding is the cornerstone of any successful business strategy.
Branding is about crafting a unique identity that sets you apart from the competition and resonates with your target audience. A strong brand builds trust and credibility, making it easier to attract and retain customers. It provides a framework for consistent communication and helps you stand out in a crowded marketplace.
In short, branding is essential for creating a lasting impression, driving customer loyalty, and ultimately, growing your business.
How is it important?
Yes, we just mentioned growing your business.
A lot of businesses dives straight into marketing and advertising campaigns. They don’t even think that branding is all that important.
Despite their best efforts, too many overlook the importance of having a strong foundation – the business plan itself. A strong brand strategy reflects that very same business plan.
It is a recurring topic every time we are converse with our clients, “How do we grow our business?”. Although their advertising and marketing efforts may say that they’re successful with their reports, sales and operations often tells a different story.
If this sounds familiar, then it’s time to take a step back and reevaluate your business and brand strategy.
Insights💡
Like planting a seed, a business (and brand) takes time, effort, and care to grow. Your brand is your business’ image, therefore it is imperative to get things right in its early stages.
Why Does It Matter?
As opposed to what most people believe, branding is not just a fancy logo or a catchy slogan.
It’s the company’s image.
Poor branding makes the company’s image inconsistent or unclear. This leads to poor visual communication. And this leads to poor results.
Insights💡
Running your business without enforcing your brand is reckless, time and cost consuming. It is always best to get things right the first time – even if it means taking the time to do it.
1. Branding unites your organization.
Your brand is an icon. The banner that your organization rallies under. It’s about defining who you are as a company, what you stand for, and how you want to be perceived by your audience. This is where a brand guide comes in – a comprehensive bible that outlines the rules and guidelines for using your brand assets consistently across all channels.
Think of it this way:
A bakery business is comprised of several departments; the owners (management & operations), the bakers (production), the cashier (sales). Each with their own specialty and focus.
However, they are all working under the same company -the same ‘brand’.
The brand itself dictates your employees motivation, their singular goal, how they present themselves at all times, and what makes your company unique. A great brand instills pride and joy to be part of your organization. This in turn also creates a public image that inadvertently creates value in the company and business. Resulting in business and company growth.
Contrast to this, the business strategy itself is more specific-focused; Sales, revenue, profit/loss reporting, operational technicalities, and data driven KPIs. Business-focused does tend to be viewed as cold, impersonal and even robotic.
The secret to great business is a synergy and cohesiveness of the two.
Insights💡
If your employees aren’t aligned to your company’s vision/mission, then your brand isn’t resonating enough. What’s more to say about your customers? You would need to re-evaluate everything from scratch.
2. It leads the way.
Having a brand guide is a definite must-have.
Not only does it give context to designers and advertisers, the brand guide, (or in some big companies: Corporate Identity System – CIS) is the company’s ‘bible’ that mandatorily regulates every aspect of the company’s image. From the company’s vision, mission, and its promise to everyone.
With the brand guide, it also serves as a guiding principle of why, what, where, and how operation, marketing and sales are conducted.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of branding and unsure where to start, it may be time to seek help from brand marketing experts.
Insights💡
Proper planning is 50% of a business’ success. It starts by having a Brand Bible and a Business Plan. Only then does Operations, Marketing, and Sales comes into play.
Consulting with Branding Marketing Experts
A brand marketing consultant doesn’t just review your current business and brand strategy, we also identify areas for improvement, and help you develop a roadmap for success.
By working with a brand marketing expert, you can gain valuable insights into your target audience, refine your brand messaging, and create a cohesive brand identity that resonates with customers. Whether you’re looking to refresh your existing brand or build one from scratch, investing in branding expertise can unlock new opportunities for growth and success.
To learn more, contact us today to schedule a consultation and discover how we can help you achieve your brand marketing goals.
