So what is branding? And why is it so important for your business?
When you think about your brand, you really want to think about your entire customer experience. Everything from your logo, your website, your social media experiences, the way you answer the phone, to the way your customers experience your staff.
Your brand is the way your customer perceives you.
Many small organizations and start-ups neglect to spend necessary time thinking about their brand in this broad sense and the impact it has on their business.
Branding promotes recognition.
People tend to do business with companies they are familiar with.
If your branding is consistent and easy to recognize, it can help people feel more at ease purchasing your products or services.
Your brand helps set you apart from the competition.
In today’s global market, it is critical to stand apart from the crowd.
You are no longer competing on a local stage, your business now competes in the global economy.
Your brand tells people about your business DNA.
Your full brand experience, from the visual elements like the logo to the way that your phones are answered, tell your customer about the kind of company that you are.
Are all of these points of entry telling the right story?
Your brand provides motivation and direction for your staff.
A clear brand strategy provides the clarity that your staff needs in order to be successful.
It tells them how to act, how to win, and how to meet the goals of the business.
A strong brand generates referrals.
People love to tell others about the brands they like.
People wear brands, eat brands, listen to brands, and they’re constantly telling others about the brands they love. You can’t tell someone about a brand you can’t remember.
A strong brand website strategy, like backlinks, is critical for generating referrals or viral traffic.
A strong brand helps customers to know what to expect.
A brand that is consistent and clear puts the customer at ease because they know exactly what to expect each and every time they experience the brand.
Your brand represents you and your promise to your customer.
It is important to remember that your brand represents you, you are the brand, your staff is the brand, your marketing materials are the brand.
What do they say about you, and what do they say about what you’re going to deliver to the customer?
A strong brand provides your business value.
A strong brand will provide value to your business well beyond your physical assets.
The best branding is built on a strong idea. An idea that you and your staff can hold on to, can commit to, and can deliver upon.
Your brand needs to permeate your entire business. When your business is clear on the brand and can deliver on the promise of the brand, you will see tremendous fruit while building brand loyalty among your customer base.
Article by Alison Kirk
