Beyond the Logo: What is Branding and Why is It Important?

Branding is a key component of marketing, in which a business develops an image using their name, slogan, and symbol. When all of these elements are combined, they result in branding that reflects what the company is all about and what it stands for, helping a company stand out from its’ competitors.

As such, it’s important to work with a trusted design company to ensure the cohesiveness of all the branding elements. After all, modern branding is more than just about creating a pretty logo. It’s also about making a memorable impression on consumers by presenting a unique message.

Aside from establishing an identity, branding is also an important component of advertising, customer service, and reputation. Considering all of these functions, it’s crucial that your business invests in its branding as early as possible.

Here are a few more reasons you should put more effort into your company’s branding:

Branding Can Get You Recognised

As previously mentioned, your logo is one of the components of your company’s branding. It’s a visual representation of your business, serving as the “face” of your company. Thus, it needs to be recognisable and unforgettable.

Once recognition is established over time, people will find it easier to identify your brand and company with a certain meaning.

When you design your logo, you also need to think of a message that you want to associate with it. It doesn’t have to be “hidden” or necessarily deep. If you want your company to represent simple, straightforward fun, then you should create a logo and message with that in mind.

The ultimate goal is to have your interpretation of your logo match or align with the interpretation of your consumers.

Branding Makes You Relatable

Branding, in its entirety, is the persona of your business. With carefully crafted branding, your customers will find it easier to relate to your organisation. They can easily appreciate your products or services, and appreciate what you have to offer.

Keep in mind that the more relatable you are, the easier it is for customers to feel a loyalty to your brand. Branding can make your company more than just a business but rather something (or someone) that understands customers on a deeper level.

Branding Attracts New Customers

Besides cultivating loyalty and building deeper, meaningful connections with your current customers, branding also helps attract new ones. A strong brand means that there’s already positive buzz surrounding it. Thus, it’s easier to pique people’s curiosity and convince them to patronise your business along with many others.

What you also have to keep in mind is that word of mouth is one of the most effective advertising techniques. With good branding, it’s easy to earn the trust of your customers and thus their confidence to recommend your company to others.

Branding Makes Your Own People Feel Good

Good branding shouldn’t only resonate with your external audience. It should also be meaningful to your own people. This results in higher job satisfaction, pride, and loyalty.

As such, for it to be truly effective, you have to also look inward when developing your brand. What do you want your employees to feel while doing their jobs? How do you want them to remember your company? When your people are the direct embodiment of your brand’s message, it translates to quality output.

More importantly, when your own people feel good about your brand, it can make customers curious. Why are their employees happy? Why do they stay through thick and thin? This is communicative of good business practices, which makes it easier for customers to also support your company and what you stand for.

Branding Establishes Credibility

When you develop your company’s brand, you’re essentially developing its professional image. This can help build credibility, which is essential in gaining customers. After all, why would someone patronise a product or service if it’s from an unreliable, unprofessional company?

On the other end of the spectrum, establishing your branding can also help your company earn the trust of partners and investors. Even if you’re a newly founded company, good branding can help get your foot in the door, so to speak. It says that you’re serious, that you’re ready to play with the “big boys” and make a name of your own.

Another important thing to remember about branding is that it can establish you as something more than an option. Beyond making you stand out, it helps you establish as a problem-solver that can provide exactly what your customer or partner needs.

Finally, the key to developing a strong, successful brand is to have focus. You don’t need to immediately appeal to everyone. In fact, it’s not something you should aim for (at least in the beginning).

Instead, develop your brand with a mission and vision in mind, concentrating on appealing to your primary audience. Craft your strategies in order to cater to their needs. Create a unified message. Once you’ve built a credible, reliable brand, other things such as loyalty and brand recall will follow.