"Marketing" and "Branding" probably tie for the most confusing and undefined terms in this industry. So spending just a few minutes unpacking them will help tremendously, regardless of where you continue your journey! (Read this post to unpack "Marketing.")
Who even thinks about Branding, anyway? We've found that even business owners may never really consider it – or have wildly different understandings of what it actually means.
First, foremost, and most importantly:
A Brand is Not a Logo
By far, this is the biggest misconception we hear. While a logo is the most visible and identifiable portion of a brand, it's only one small portion of an entire brand.
If you've considered "re-branding" because your logo is out of date, you've come to the right place! (...to dispel that myth, that is!)
A Brand Is...
A brand is the way your audience perceives your business.
Read that again. How's that for a definition that turns things on its head?
Ultimately, what your audience thinks about how you look and feel and sound REALLY determines "your brand."
Your job is to help them perceive you in a very specific way – to be heard, seen, and understood in the way you'd like to be known.
That perception comes not just from a logo, but a complex set of components, like:
Positioning (Your unique place in the market that allows your ideal customers to find you.)
Values (The "why" that propels your brand forward.)
Story / Narrative (The powerful message that connects your brand to your customers.)
Voice (The specific tone and style of communication you use.)
Visual Identity (The full suite of visual elements that identify your brand.)
These pillars and many more can be carefully crafted within the context of your own company's mission, values and goals, as well as your specific audience and their needs and values.
All of those components woven together, fine-tuned and activated are a Brand.
Branding
Attaching the "ing" creates an action. Branding is the act of strategically creating the framework and suite of assets that comprise an organization's brand.
The core assets are developed through a process called Brand Strategy.
The visual execution of assets like a logo ("brand mark"), color palette, typography, and application of those assets to items like a website, printed and digital business material, sales tools and more is developed through a process called Brand Design.
Activating a Brand
A strong brand is more than a pdf deck of your logo, color and fonts.
It's more than a website and flashy sales material.
Once your Brand is developed, activating all of its tenets throughout your entire organization is essential. It takes time, dedication and an intentional, coordinated effort, but seeing your Brand as a "living thing" that permeates your organization will allow it to fully realize its power and purpose.
Why Branding is Important
Simply return to the definition of Branding above.
Brand is perception.
When you do the important work of crafting your brand in a way that fits who you are, you're giving your audience their best shot at perceiving you and connecting with you in the way in which you'd like to be perceived.
It creates an open flow, and easy hand-shake, a natural bridge.
In fact, the strongest brand positions you as the ONLY choice for your customers. It eliminates any other options, forges loyalty and creates a bond that is nearly impossible to break.
Who Needs Branding
First, consider this: Everyone has a brand.
Literally.
Every company, for-profit and non-profit. Large and small. Mom-and-pop shops and multi-national billion-dollar corporations.
Every PERSON even has a brand. If you consider a "brand" as "how you are perceived," you can apply the same strategic process to how an individual is perceived. You have just as much opportunity to craft how you're perceived as Oprah or Mark Rober or Trump.
Everyone HAS a brand.
The act of BRANDING for a business is usually needed when there's a problem. When there's a mismatch or misalignment between how an organization WANTS to be perceived and how they're ACTUALLY perceived.
Unfortunately, that problem usually isn't immediately identified as a "Brand" problem.
The symptoms present in things like:
Internal struggles — Low morale, disconnection of staff, unsure about how they're contributing to the vision or mission.
External disconnection – An inability to easily talk to their core audience, not being heard or understood, lack of trust or loyalty from customers.
Communication – Not even being able to say "what you do" easily.
Operational Challenges – Difficulty making decisions, Ineffective marketing, slow or stunted growth.
Any of these could be attributed to a broken brand.
Who DOESN'T Need Branding?
No problem? No branding.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Is it that simple? Maybe.
We've seen small companies with outdated logos and very little "official" brand structure who are crushing it based on their word-of-mouth and exceptional customer service and dedication to their customers.
Would a fresher logo help? Would an entire brand framework be a benefit? Or would that be "Saul's Armor" when they're already fighting Goliath?
(Conversely, we've also seen large companies with great logos and a full binder of well-defined brand pillars who have never been put it into practice, or don't apply their own brand standards well. They get in their own way and struggle to advance.)
The Big Picture
Brand is a big deal.
When you zoom out and begin to see it in context, you get a sense of its potential power and the importance it can have for the health of a business.
It can feel overwhelming, and understandably so.
But aligning with a trusted brand strategist can be a solid first step toward creating a strong foundation and brighter future.
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