What does branding mean to you?
For several people, branding is nothing beyond their logo. However, the reality is different. Your logo is important but it’s just a small part of your total business branding.
So, you might ask if branding is more important – what is it?
Branding is critical as the encompasses every single touchpoint of your customer. Customer expectations from a brand are extremely high. You might be thinking you have a great product. You have the perfect website and everything is fine for your business.
No, things cannot be good if you are not wrapping all these things into a smart brand that your customers find memorable, delightful, relatable, and human. Brands live in a culture. A brand is a recognition which a company gets, it's an acceptance and reputation which a company develops after the successful rendering of products and services.
A brand is a lot more than a color palette or a logo. Brands are usually built for people – something which excites them and keeps them loyal to a product or service. Effective branding is not just about some pretty colors or a logo. It is the total experience which a customer has with a specific product.
So, let us first sum it up:
- A brand is a whole experience – it does not end with a logo
- A brand has several pieces of its core identity
- When you are designing the homepage of your business, leave it uncluttered. It has to be conversion-centric.
- It should be consistent; it needs to be well-thought.
Branding – What does it mean?
When you are getting started with the branding for your new company, you should first know what branding is actually. Having a logo does not mean you have done everything you could do. Having a big logo also does not help and won't help your branding if you do nothing further.
Branding is the whole experience of every touchpoint which your customer has with a specific product. Thus, your customers must have a consistent and thoughtful experience with your product. These touchpoints are important as it defines the nature of the company you want and who your target customers are.
Now, what are these touchpoints? These include several things such as personality, logos, imagery, texture, homepage design, print design, shapes, imagery, and color among other things. It is the sum of all such parts which help in making your brand and it is how your business connects with the customers.
The personality of Your Business – What is the Philosophy
This is a crucial fact which plays a role in your branding. What does your company do and what role does it have in helping the growth of your brand? These are the basic questions that will help in defining who you are and what your company does. It will help in building a connection with your employees.
Personality and Tone
It is about how your brand is depicted in the content of your website. There is little difference between a helpful guide and being pushy. The tone of your content will provide your customers with a short glimpse of the personality of your brand. The tone also helps in driving several designing decisions like colors & imagery. A friendly tone with light-toned colors will help your branding.
What Does Branding Do for You:
- Great branding will show your customer what you are. A well-executed brand does have a lot to say about your company and your services.
- Good branding will tell your story in a short time. Your customers will know what your brand offers and what they can expect from a brand.
- Branding helps in building an emotional connection with your customers. This connection does take time and happens gradually. Your customers find a memorable and easy way to communicate.
- Branding helps in building confidence in your company. If you need to tell your audience what makes 'you', it is essential that you have confidence.
- Branding helps in providing direction and purpose. No matter what your brand is, you have to ensure that your goals have meaning. Great branding is much more than colors, font, and logo.
- Branding connects values to a similar audience. A successful business does have established values, visions, and missions. People with similar expectations do connect with a brand to fulfill the requirements.
- Branding takes time. It does not happen in a few minutes.
Last, but not least, remember that branding will deliver results. It keeps a business growing and is the sole reason for the survival of a business in the tough and highly competitive world.
