Strong branding is essential to accompany any successful brand. Why is that you might think? Branding is the DNA of a company. Just like our genetics describe who we are, branding solidifies your brand’s identity and what makes you, you. Branding is essentially how your customer perceives you. It includes everything from your logo, fonts, and colors to your website, social media channels, and customer service experience. Many different elements go into branding and every single one needs careful consideration. Successful branding requires time, thorough planning, and strategizing. You need to consider what impression you want to make in a customer’s mind and what feelings you want to evoke. Then you create a brand that aligns with that, along with your organizational goals. Both large and small companies take a considerable amount of time to develop a branding strategy that creates a long-lasting impact on customers. Let’s take a closer look at the power of branding.
Share your brand value
With your branding, you have the chance to translate and communicate your brand value to your customers. Branding creates the opportunity to differentiate yourself and set you apart from other brands. It will help you distinguish yourself and clarify why your brand is the better choice. With exceptional marketing, professional websites, or one-of-a-kind customer service staff, you will provide value to customers that will keep them coming back and even better, create referrals. Strong branding develops your reputation and impacts your future. A strong reputation equals a strong brand, which in turn creates value. A well-established brand can then open doors such as influence and premium pricing.
Demonstrate brand consistency
In order to have successful branding, you need to show brand consistency. Brand consistency means that you use a unified branding strategy across all your marketing channels. To be able to be recognized and remembered, you need to trademark yourself with your branding, make it consistent, and unique to you. If we look at successful companies like Nike, they have managed to create a strong brand with brand consistency – we know what to expect and we trust them to deliver quality.
Branding and brand consistency also creates direction and purpose for your company. It’s easy to get caught up in new ideas and wander off in new directions, which can create confusion and a sense of disorganization. With a clear brand identity, it’s easier to stay on the path of your original mission and vision for your company. It also helps your team commit to the brand and deliver the promise to your customers.
Connect with your customers
Well-branded companies establish emotional connections with their customers. A strong brand has gained a sense of trust and credibility from its customers. With the help of brand consistency, customers can depend on and know what to expect from a brand. That is how they grow emotional bonds to the brand, preferring them over others. It develops the breeding ground for brand loyalty and long-term consumer relationships.
Branding is entrenched in the core of a company. Not only is branding the DNA, but more so the soul of the company, which helps it connect with others. Successful branding can distinguish you from competitors and if done right, create an impactful legacy lasting for decades. However, in the same way, if done poorly it has the power to destroy your business idea. This highlights the importance of branding and more importantly – doing it well.