Understanding Brand Marketing: How It Can Make or Break Your Business

Do you ever wonder how other companies manage to attract such a loyal following of repeat customers? The answer is probably: Brand Marketing.

Brand marketing: it’s more than just your logo

Ah brand marketing… it’s one of those “squishy" terms which makes it a hard concept for people to grasp. Many executives and business owners I’ve encountered think that their brand is just their logo. But in reality, it’s so much more than that. It’s about:

• Creating a unique identity and voice

• Being instantly recognizable to your customers

• Forging an emotional bond of trust and love with your customers
  

Because it's not about generating an immediate transaction, you may think that brand marketing is something only big companies can afford. But the truth is, brand marketing is an important aspect of marketing strategy for small companies, too. It makes your business look more professional and established, and it can also help attract the right customers and increase customer loyalty.

In today's competitive marketplace, brand marketing can help you stand out and make a lasting impression on your target audience.

Sounds good, right? Let's dive in and explore what brand marketing is, why it's important, and how it can positively or negatively impact your business’s success.

What is brand marketing?

Brand marketing is the process of creating a unique identity for your business, both visually and through messaging. It’s a practice that involves creating and developing:

• Brand assets including visual elements such as your logo, fonts and color choices

• Brand voice and messaging

• Your company's core values

• Overall brand personality characteristics

These things work together to tell your customers what sets you apart from your competitors.

Rather than being about driving a transaction, brand marketing includes the process of promoting and building awareness of your brand as a whole, to create a positive perception and image that customers can trust and connect with. It's about positioning your brand in a way that resonates with your target audience and then ultimately influences their purchasing behavior.

But it’s also something that happens outside of just your marketing department. Brand marketing goes beyond traditional advertising and focuses on building a relationship with customers, providing excellent service, and creating an experience that resonates with the target audience. It can encompass everything from logo design to social media messaging to customer service.

Why is brand marketing important?

Effective brand marketing helps you create a unique selling proposition that sets you apart from your competitors. It helps you build a reputation in the market, which can result in strong word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied customers. You're not just selling a product or service; you're selling the brand experience that comes with it.

Brand marketing is also important because it helps you create a consistent and recognizable visual and messaging identity for your business. Consumers are more likely to choose a brand they recognize and trust, and a strong brand can help instantly differentiate your business in a crowded marketplace.

What are some examples of companies that have done brand marketing successfully?

Companies such as Apple, Nike, and Coca-Cola are excellent examples of successful brand marketing.

Apple has created an image of innovation, simplicity, and design excellence, even using those themes in their own simple but effective “bite” logo, which resonates with the company's creative target audience.

Nike has built an image of power, strength, and motivation, using the motto “Just Do It” to appeal to professional athletes and casual fitness enthusiasts alike. Their inspiring ads aren’t about a single product, but instead, promote a customer's ability to push beyond their limits.

Coca-Cola, with its world-famous logo, red and white colors, and iconic marketing campaigns has established a reputation for happiness, family, and togetherness, which is relatable to everyone. They use these themes to create ad campaigns that tap into those emotions, from the Christmas polar bear commercials to the “Share a Coke” campaign.

These companies have all created a unique brand identity and emotional connection with their customers, leading to long-term success and loyalty.

How can doing Brand Marketing well positively affect my business?

Done well, brand marketing can positively affect your business in a number of ways.

1. We’ve already mentioned that a recognizable brand helps build trust with customers, leading to increased loyalty, repeat business, and referrals.

As an example, Apple sends out logo stickers with each purchase, and Apple owners are so proud of their purchase that they will put that sticker on their cars and drive around as a moving referral for their brand.

Coke printed people’s names on cans and encouraged shoppers to find a can with a friend’s name on it, buy it for them, and give it to them as a personalized gift.

Both tactics were genius brand moves.

2. Cha-ching! Did you ever stop to consider that a strong brand can also help you charge a premium price for your products or services? Customers are willing to pay more for a product that comes from a brand they perceive to be of higher quality or value.

Back to Nike as our example- they can sell a $300 sneaker en masse based on the strength of their brand name and their celebrity endorsements. Now, imagine if a brand like Champion, often sold at stores like Target, tried to sell you a shoe for $300. I, personally, would balk at that price for that brand.

3. Additionally, a consistent brand message across all channels can help build a sense of community and connection with your customers. Think of successful technology brands like Salesforce.com. They have a thriving community where brand enthusiasts gather to share tips and best practices and develop hacks and add-ons to help their fellow enthusiasts in their own journey with the platform.

I'm not made of money. Is brand marketing worth the expense?

I know what you may be thinking- “OK, but I’m not Apple though. I don’t have that kind of money.”

However, ignoring brand marketing can have negative consequences for your business. It can lead to a whole host of problems, including:

• Lack of trust or understanding from customers

• Poor differentiation and increased competition

• Disjointed customer experience

• Unprofessional image and reputation damage

• And worst, low sales and lost business

Plus, those free stickers Apple hands out probably cost pennies to print. You don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of money to come up with a good brand strategy. But you will have to put time and thought into it, and you will have to be consistent with it.

Here is the biggest expense you’ll undertake when you’re ready to tackle brand marketing: hiring the right people and setting up the right internal processes and keeping them in place forever.

You’ll have to be ready to ensure that all outward-facing communications with the general public are always reflective of your brand identity and voice. And to do that, you’ll need to ensure that:

• You’re ready to spend months brainstorming, researching, testing, and finalizing that new brand personality and the guidelines to go with it.

• You will set aside the time to train all employees on the brand and their roles in upholding it.

• You have the right process and team member(s) reviewing and approving all outgoing communications.

• You’re willing to give authority to your brand expert to reject communications that don’t meet brand standards and to direct others within the company to comply with those standards.

• Anyone authorized to communicate on behalf of your company (from a PR firm to a social media manager) is trained in your brand’s standards.

• You will allow marketing team members or agencies to focus on (and spend money on) initiatives that are not just transactional in nature.

It sounds like a lot, right? Are you ready and willing to make that commitment?

If you’re on the fence, just remember that Apple didn’t start at the top. But commitment to their brand image got them there, against all odds. They are proof that it can be a worthwhile commitment.

By taking the time to create a thoughtful and consistent brand strategy, you can set your business up for success in the long run. I encourage you: don’t overlook the power of branding.

Do you need help with a branding strategy that will fit your values and your budget? I'd love to help. Drop me an email and let's talk!