We often describe branding as a company’s name, logo, design, and packaging but it is more than that.
Image Credit: Brand Identity Essentials by Peopledesign
As we can see above that the logo and the brand are two different things that are being used interchangeably. We see the logo that is the tip of the iceberg as is visible but what we don’t see is the brand underneath which is a huge concept.
Creating a brand is great. It is like offering a valuable personality to our product and company. But the word brand or branding is complex in itself. In a nutshell, a brand is a way a company perceives us. It informs the customer what to expect from our product and services. For establishing a successful brand, you need to have Brand Clarity to achieve your goals.
Branding is further classified into two categories- Internal Branding and External Branding
Internal Branding includes Brand Purpose, Vision&Mission, Personality, USP, and Target audience. External Branding includes Brand Identity, Marketing, Stationary, and other collaterals like social media, email, and advertising.
Over the years we have come across different definitions of branding and they all are accurate in their ways. The essence of branding is been modified enormously. We all have our own set of beliefs when it comes to branding. Branding is ambiguous.
Today we see a person as a brand. For instance, The silhouette of Michael Jordan served as an inspiration to create the ‘Jumpman” logo. We all know him as a retired athlete and his famous Air Jordan “Jumpman” sneakers owned by Nike. The reason for this example is that it creates a brand familiarity among the target audience, a brand promises its audience the quality of the product and makes us believe in the brand. We see the logo and we quickly associate with it. And due to these thoughts and emotions, we make our purchase decision. The ‘Jumpman” logo acted as a brand symbol for Nike that leaves an iconic mental representation in each customer’s mind. For more check out this link: https://powerdigitalmarketing.com/blog/what-does-branding-mean/#gref
Up till now, we’ve gathered some basic knowledge about branding and now we will dig deeper into how branding supports marketing.
Importance of Branding in Business
- Aided Brand Recall
- Brand Referrals
- Customer Possession
- Inspire Employees
- Attract Stakeholders
Aided Brand Recall:
When a customer correctly identifies a brand just by looking at its logo, tagline, or its unique packaging then it can be considered Brand Recognition. Recognizing a brand is another way of informing that customers know about our brand and are more likely to remember it for the long term. Different methods are pulled off to influence our customer’s minds by using audio (jingle or theme song) and visual(pictures, symbols, written words) cues. These techniques are used to catch sight and stimulate their minds.
Brand Referrals:
Brand referrals can be done in four ways namely- Word of mouth, Online reviews, Social recommendations and sharing, Email referrals. Brand referrals come into play when a company has maintained a level of reputation throughout the years. People are more likely to trust this brand and become their loyal customers. Once the target audience turns out to be loyal customers, they will then influence others (their friends and family) to buy the same product and services and this is when Word of mouth referral occurs. People tend to believe their family and friends more often. Online reviews work the same. When we are not aware of a particular product, we lookout for reviews, and we check for positive/negative comments about the same product and services. Social Sharing is somewhat similar to content marketing. When we recommend things on social media platforms such as Facebook, and LinkedIn, our audience will find them useful and engaging at the same time. This technique will make it easier for the audience to have a one-on-one interaction with us. And lastly, Email referrals which is the most effective way of brand awareness. Companies can directly connect with their audience through email marketing and not have the fear of being lost in the stream of messages.
Customer Possession:
While creating a powerful brand we usually have some questions in our minds such as How is my brand different from others, Why do my clients trust this brand, How can I take possession of my customers…The answer to these questions is very simple. A brand should be able to fulfill all the nitty-gritty of its customers. It should be capable enough to make a place in their customer’s hearts and to prevent them from switching to other brands they need to come out clean. Customer retention comes into action when a brand provides all the solutions a customer is looking for. Retaining as many customers as possible is the main goal of a branding strategy.
Inspire Employees:
Working in a company with a crystal clear master plan ensures the maximum involvement of their employees, the employees will give in more effort than before. It inspires them to work for their company up to the hilt. And when a brand reaches the set of goals of being noticeable in the marketplace, it creates a feeling of pride and satisfaction among the employees who were behind the whole master plan. Not to forget the employees are a big part of a company and when they are satisfied with their respective jobs, it eventually creates an affinity between the employees and the brand.
Attract Stakeholders:
Successful branding not only attracts a larger quantity of audiences but also a fair amount of investors, business partners, purchasers, etc. An extraordinary strategy appeals to the employees and customers and also stakeholders in addition. The stakeholders invest in only those brands that have a good reputation in the marketplace.
We Mediamousse as an ad agency provides branding services to ensure that the correct message has been delivered to the targeted audience meaning that we pull our socks up to accomplish the task of creating brand awareness and brand identity. We provide various branding solutions which come in handy as you connect with us and closely examine your trouble and provide you with the best services possible. The services presume-
- Brand marketing and promotion strategy
- Developing a brand identity
- Customer persona development
- Employee communication
- Vision and mission statements and many more…
To create a winning branding strategy, we encompass all the things that will make your brand stand out from your competitors and they are namely- Internal Culture, Customer Experience and External marketing.
Now that you’ve seen the importance of branding so whether you want to rebuild your brand or make it for the first time, this article will surely help you to set up your base concerning branding. If you have any queries related to this topic, feel free to contact us.
