What makes a brand?
There are many companies in the marketplace today who know their need for a brand and how it helps connect them with their audience, enhance their profits, and maintain their reputation. The unfortunate fact is that many of those companies don’t truly understand what branding is all about.
So what is it? It is an idea or representation. It’s the portrayal the company wants their customers to view and feel when they think about the company. It is not just your logo, your product, your website, or even your company name. Instead, it is a culmination of all those things to establish this representation collectively.
Then what is branding? It’s the strategy that the company takes to ensure that all their marketing activities revolve or center around that idea or representation. When planned for and implemented properly, branding helps bridge the gap between the business and the people they want to reach.
When you begin to think about your company’s image, here are five important aspects to consider:
Identity
Identify is your outward image and all the components included within that. This would include, but not limited to, your logo, brand colors and website (just to name a few). In other words, your brand identity is the “look and feel” of your brand.
Purpose, Mission, and Values
Although purpose, mission, and values are all different aspects of your brand, they should work synergistically together to tell a larger story about you and what you do. Your purpose is what you do and what you can promise your customers, your mission is the big picture you’re trying to achieve, and your values are what you’re company represents.
Messaging
Messaging is the voice of your company. The messaging helps you connect with your audience to enhance their experience with you. It is vital that the messaging is consistent across all platforms and aspects of the company to deliver the same message.
Brand Differentiation
Brand differentiation is what sets you apart from the crowd. This identifies what you have to offer that can’t be obtained elsewhere. This is usually a feature or unique value that can’t be copied or imitated elsewhere.
Experience
Brand experience is the way your audience connects with your products or services. This can start with interactions with your sales staff all the way to them using your product. By enhancing and improving the brand experience, a company can establish repetitive transactions with the same customers.
Got a Project in Mind?
I collaborate with innovative brands to create cutting-edge digital experiences.
Let’s connect!