The short answer to why branding is important is this: Your brand is the touchpoint involved in every interaction your organization has with users.
Your brand has to be more than just a logo. Yes, a great logo is a solid foundation for any brand, but there is so much more to the story than just your mark. A quality logo and all-encompassing brand experiences will influence the way people perceive your company, help generate future business, and establish brand awareness for the long haul.
I’m not going to argue the importance of branding by way of brand titans like Apple, Amazon, or Nike. I think it’s safe to say we all understand the impact and success built from their highly methodical and creative brand strategies. And to be frank, I think this is where many organizations fall short.
All too often companies fall into the false assumption that high-quality and impactful brands are realistic for those who have considerate access to massive budgets and national or global recognition. The result is settling for a creative logo, choosing a couple of colors, and creating an impressive business card.
But this thinking is irrational considering companies who aren’t the mega brand titans need a pathway to help break through the noise of their competitors. After all, consistent brand presentation across all platforms increases revenue up to 23%. Branding gives your audience a clear sense of your purpose and a roadmap to experiences that are intentional and relevant to them.
Branding defines everything you do as a business.
The reason branding is so much more than a logo or a set of colors is because it encompasses every facet of what your company does and who your organization is. In its entirety, it includes every portion of your audience’s perceptions, assumptions, and experiences. It’s everything from the color and the look of your logo to the values and personality of your business — and every single touchpoint in between them.
To reinforce this point, it’s reported that two-thirds of consumers can recall a specific brand they have seen advertised on mobile in the last week. This means every aspect of your business stands to gain from capturing the essence of your brand. It makes it easier for people to believe in a business when you take the time to value and believe in the brand yourself.
After all, your brand consists of everything your company represents. It embodies everything you want your audience to experience when interacting with your business and how you want them to perceive your company which makes branding very important to an organization.
It’s important your branding reflects the intent of your business.
Branding reflects the stance your business makes. It reinforces your unique selling proposition, sets you apart in your industry, and can potentially position you as a thought leader. And let’s face it, we need more thought leaders out there. Ninety-six percent of B2B buyers want content with more input from industry thought leaders. But it’s important to understand that users are quick to notice gaps in experiences. That’s why it’s critical to ensure your brand is clear, cohesive, and carried through every aspect of your business.
For example, if you present your company as innovative and contemporary upfront but follow up with your customers in old school methods or never implement modern ideas into your sales and marketing processes, then users will be keenly aware of the facade.
If you’re not willing to back up your intent throughout every facet of the business, then it shouldn’t be included in your brand at all. When I say every facet of the business, I mean it. You need to be willing to take appropriate action to back up your intent from the big-ticket items down to the smallest of details. That means things like the look and feel of your marketing campaigns, the tone used in your voicemail messages, the messaging you use in social channels, even the culture and atmosphere you establish for your employees. It all needs to be driven by what your organization promises to be.
Branding helps give you a leg up on the competition.
The business landscape today is extremely competitive. I’m sure that’s not news to most. It’s critical for people to stand out from a wide range of competitors who claim to do all the things you do, maybe even better than you do. And this expands past the competition at the local level. In a market that is more connected than ever, the world is (literally) at people’s fingertips. The internet has made the ability to take the competition to a national or global scale even easier.
So what can be done to set your business apart? Build a quality brand. By giving your audience a credible and reliable experience to believe in, you provide them with a compelling reason to turn to you versus going elsewhere.
As time goes on, people tend to build more and more trust. But in order for them to start trusting you, you have to shout loud and clear why they should. Create a visual system that complements the service and experience you provide — one that captivates your audience into wanting to know more. Accompany this killer visual system with messaging and content that showcase why you are the go-to in your industry. Follow-up with initiatives that contain your underlying message and you’ll be set to create consistent and compelling experiences that will keep your users coming back for more.
It’s important your brand answers the relevant answers for your audience.
In the market today, game changers realize that branding is more than just the way a logo works. They understand it’s a bigger piece of the pie because let’s face it — people don’t take the time to understand and solve all the questions that allow them to see why they should choose one over the other. Your brand has to provide these answers to them.
If we’re all being honest, we wouldn’t tell a group of our peers about a great new product we used if we couldn’t even remember the brand. Or if you did tell them about the product, your peers are less likely to look into it for themselves with nothing to connect them to it.
Your brand gives your organization a credible face (which is why most people assume all they need is a logo). But don’t get those points confused — your brand does contain a logo and visual system, but it’s your entire brand that is often the face that interacts with your audience the most. It creates a consistent experience in every touchpoint they have along their journey.
Your mission should be to develop a brand that accomplishes the following objectives:
- Delivers your message clearly and consistently
- Establishes and reinforces your credibility
- Creates an emotional and impactful connection with your audience
- Gives your users a reason to take the next step
The real beauty in a brand is that it expands across the entire experience a user has, not just the portion that happens before the sale. It’s your brand that can drive competitive advantage and profitable growth across your organization. Your brand is more than a logo — it’s the cornerstone of your business. It’s your essence. Your personality. Your truth. If you can get that right, everything else will fall in line around it.
Need help with your aligning your branding efforts? We’re here to help! Take a look at our branding and design service or start a conversation to see how your brand experience can be taken to the next level.
