Branding is something you often hear in marketing and is sometimes the core concept behind most marketing strategies. So what exactly is branding and why is it important when it comes to the success of a business. Branding, by definition, is a marketing practice in which a company creates a name, symbol or design that is easily identifiable as belonging to the company. This helps to identify a product and distinguish it from other products and services. Branding is important because not only is it what makes a memorable impression on consumers but it allows your customers and clients to know what to expect from your company. It is a way of distinguishing yourself from the competitors and clarifying what it is you offer that makes you the better choice. Your brand is built to be a true representation of who you are as a business, and how you wish to be perceived.

There are so many things that go into having a well known brand, the big names you know today didn’t start out as influential as they are now. Many of those brands took decades to accumulate the following and worth they have now. Despite what a lot of people will tell you success in a brand doesn’t happen over night. It’s rare to find a brand that not only has a large influence and worth but is also able to maintain it over time. Brands like Victoria Secret, Amazon, Disney, and Apple began their journeys over 25 years ago. So how do you get your brand on the same level as the big names I just mentioned.

Keys to Branding

What Message Are You Portraying

When it comes to branding the most important thing you’ll want to consider is your message to your potential customers. What do you want your customers to think about when they think about your brand? Your message will set you apart from your competitors so it should be unique to your brand. You’ll want to keep it simple so that it’s easy to remember, and be sure it makes sense to your product or service. Be sure to think of your target audience when you’re coming up with your brand. Remember that your brand will likely be portrayed in almost all aspects of your business so be smart about what you choose.

Research Other Brands

When you’ve thought about the message it’s time to do some research. You’ll want to see what other companies in your industry are doing. You want your brand to be unique to your company so knowing what other people in your industry are using can help you create something that’s all yours. You should also research successful brands and understand what about their brand made them so successful so that you are able to apply the same kinds of methods to your brand. Understand what it takes to have a influential brand, everything from the company’s name, logo, slogan, color concept, and more help to make a brand what it is. As part of your research you should run your branding ideas by others to make sure the message you are trying to portray is well received.

Branding Consistency

Your brand is supposed to represent your entire company therefore the branding must be consistent. That means on your emails, you social media, and your ads people should be able to recognize your brand without you having to say who you are. Your logo should be on everything if you have a logo, your colors should be on everything from your website to you business cards. Everything you put out there represents your brand so insure that the same message is always being represented. Every now and then a company decides to go through rebranding which is great. If you decide you want to do a branding makeover for your company be sure that eventually everything has your new brand and not your old brand so you don’t confuse your customers.

How to Execute Branding Ideas

Based on results of the research and analysis phase, you should create a long-term branding strategy that uniquely defines your brand’s desired promise, personality, and position, addressing any weaknesses and capitalizing on existing strengths. This strategy will be incorporated into your overall marketing plan to coordinate branding goals with your other marketing objectives.

Once you have a Branding Strategy in place, create guidelines for branding your website, blog, social media, email campaigns, presentations, logo animations and other activities and materials utilizing your brand.

In addition, incorporate the new strategy into printed stationery and ephemera, as well as office templates and business cards. Create guidelines for showcasing your brand at events, through advertising, event materials and signage. The goal will be a consistent brand approach across all interactions with existing customers and prospects. Results will be multi-fold:

1) broader recognition of your brand and its positive attributes;

2) improved differentiation of your brand as a leading force in the marketplace; and

3) increased conversions as prospects more readily recognize your products and approach, and associate them positively.

If you would like assistance with your branding, a consultant to help you come up with your brand, or help implementing your brand into your marketing strategy we can help. Contact us here at Bear Necessities Marketing and let us help you promote your brand.