A few decades ago, branding was defined as a name, slogan, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of these elements, that distinguished one company, product, or service from another. Branding is more complex and important today.
What Should a Brand Do?
Branding is not just about setting your target market apart from the competition. It's also about your potential customers seeing you as the only solution provider to their problem or need. Basically, branding is a means of solving problems. A good brand will:
- Clearly deliver the message
- Confirm the brand's credibility in the marketplace
- Emotionally connect target prospects with a product or service
- Motivate the buyer to make a purchase
- Create the user loyalty
Branding and Understanding Your Customer
To be successful with branding, you need to understand the needs and wants of your customers and prospects. You can do this by incorporating your branding strategy into your business at every public touchpoint.
Think of branding as if your company or organization is a living and breathing person. Imagine this person explaining who they are, why they are valuable, and what they can specifically offer.
As consumers begin to identify with you, your brand will live on in the hearts and minds of customers, clients, and prospects, and they will connect on an emotional level.
The Importance of Branding and the Three Key Questions
Your brand is a source of promise to your consumers. If you bill yourself as a manufacturer of long-lasting light bulbs, your brand should live up to it.
- Important: It is important to take the time to research, define and build your brand.
When developing a strategic marketing plan, your brand serves as a guide to understanding the goals of your key business goals and allows you to align the plan with those goals. Branding doesn't just count in the pre-purchase time - the brand experience must continue to create customer loyalty. You can create one by answering these three questions:
- Did the product or service perform as expected?
- Was the quality as good as promised or better?
- Was the entire customer experience positive?
If you can answer these three questions positively, you have created a loyal customer for yourself.
Beyond Loyal Customers
Branding not only creates loyal customers but also loyal employees. A quality brand gives people something they believe in and can stand for. Helping employees understand the goals of the organization they work for. You feel like a part of something meaningful, not just a cog.
A Basic Checklist to Evaluate Your Brand
How do you know if your brand is strong enough to give you the internal and external value you need? Start by asking yourself the following:
- Is the brand related to my target group? Will they "get it" right away without thinking too much?
- Do brands share the uniqueness of my offering and why is it important?
- Does the brand reflect a promise to my target audience and does it have value to my internal audience?
- Does the brand reflect the value I want to show my customers?
Let these questions guide you as you develop your brand. If you are unsure of the answer, consider revising your branding efforts.