What Exactly is Branding?
Which comes first… the logo or the…
“All I need is a logo and I’ll be golden.”
If I had a dime for every time I heard that I’d own the bank. And I don’t … at least not yet ;)
Ask a bunch of people what branding is and you’ll likely get a bunch of different answers.
Branding, I know, it’s your…
Logo
Tagline
Social media
Specific Colors (“Aren’t you supposed to wear your branding?”)
How you present yourself
Website style
Elevator Speech
Authentic Voice
Hmmm… those are all correct … sort of.
Branding is not a noun, it’s a verb. It’s not a thing but a process.
Branding is a process.
It’s the process of researching, developing, designing, and applying distinctive features and elements to your business so your ideal client intuitively connects your brand with your products and services.
The “things” you get out of branding are “Your Brand” - the name of the business, logo, mark, color palette, tagline, etc.
“A picture’s worth a thousand words.” … Right?
Let me ask you…
What do you immediately think of when you see the font and red below?
If you didn’t say Coca Cola, you’re a recently landed alien… even though that’s not what’s written above.
Oh, those folks at Coke…. A++
A brand is only the result of the branding process. The process must come first in order to produce a great result.
“Perfection has to do with the end product, but excellence has to do with the process.”
So where to begin in a branding process?
“No, really, all I need is a logo! Once I have that, I can just start giving out business cards.”
“Hmmm… Yes you could, but what will you tell them?”
While a picture is worth a thousand words and can be the WOW that gets their attention and you in the door, what will you say once you’re in the room?
You must have the words - the foundation, the promise - to back up the WOW.
Your brand is your promise to your customers.
It’s the overall experience your customer undergoes and as such, it requires… No, demands… getting in touch with your heart and the heart of your customers.
I start with your “Why’s”.
Consider them your intentions, which ultimately is your promise to your customers and, equally as important, yourself.
Your “All About Me” Why: My business give me the freedom to…
Your “Emotional” Why: My business allows me to feel…
Your “All About Them” Why: My business exists to…
Lean in and listen carefully, Girlfriend!
Those Why’s are the foundation of your business.
I call it the “3 Legged Stool” Foundation. If one of those Why’s gets out of whack, which, I assure you, will happen, you can go back to your original Why and intention, correct it, and get your business back in balance.
Once that’s done…
We can start creating all those shiny and delicious jewels of your brand, which you’ll present to the world making your business memorable and impactful!
Girl, I’m talking tiara, here, which you will wear proudly!
Benefits of Well-Balanced Branding:
Identity: Branding gives your business an identity beyond its product or service. It gives consumers something to connect and relate to.
Memorable: Branding makes your business memorable. It’s the face of your company and helps consumers distinguish your business across every marketing outlet.
Marketing & Advertising: Branding supports your marketing and advertising efforts. It helps your promotion pack that extra punch with added recognition and impact.
Pride: Branding brings you and your employees pride and a sense of comfort. You’re creating a reputable, well-regarded work environment. Strong branding brings in strong employees.
Consistency: Branding assures your message can be clearly conveyed to the world, not just by you, but by everyone in your organization.
Trust: Branding implies trust. You took the time and effort to build a brand and understand your customers needs. Blend that with consistent marketing and it an absolute win-win.
Sales: Branding can be a strong deciding factor for consumers making a purchase decision. Almost 60% of shoppers said they actively buy from brands they know, and 21% said they bought a product because they liked the brand.
It’s really just a simple 2-step process.
Your 3 Why’s
Then on to the Glitter.
Let’s get your glitter on, Girl, and start building your crown!
Best, Janet
“Your smile is your logo.
Your personality is your business card.
How you leave others feeling becomes your trademark.”
Now that you have an understanding of the branding process
check out my newly added Branding Package to get you started!