You know that feeling you get when you hear that your favorite designer announces their latest product. You immediately know that no matter the cost you’re buying. Why? It’s branding.
Do you need it in your life? Will life cease to exist if you don’t get it? Prob not but you love it so much that you have to have it.
This feeling is branding ?. That bond is created by the emotional feelings derived from your association with the brand. Do the shoes make you run faster? Maybe, maybe not but they make you feel like you could. Or perhaps they give you a feeling of belonging, more attractive, healthier, or even wealthier? Brands cultivate the ideas of what we could become. They can be an expression of our better selves.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking your brand is your product, services, or your logo, colors, website, or images. It is so much more than just your assets. A brand is actually the whole picture. It is the big promise, the ideas, associations, and emotions that live in a viewer’s mind about the product, service, or business.
Why do you need to invest in developing a great brand identity? Because your ultimate goal as a business is to evoke that strong emotional response. You want people to identify with what you offer and get a sense that they absolutely need your products or services in their lives. You need to build connections to thrive as a business and brand. You need to understand what your audience needs and wants and deliver.
If you are the face of your business or organization, you absolutely without a doubt need to be visible. People connect with people but grow to love only when they can identify the purpose you serve in their lives. What can you transform them into? What is your brand promise? What positive emotions does your brand convey? How relatable are you? You can’t hide behind your logo, products, services, or quote posts. Your message is what connects and forms that brand love. If you’re not visible or your message is unclear that bond will be missing.
Fact: Every business that is #1 in their field invested in their branding.
It didn’t happen by accident. It was strategically set up to gain that position. Branding isn’t an after thought, or something to consider if you have the budget. It’s a necessity for your business’s survival. It’s a must. .
Fact: It takes more than just a logo or color schemes to build a brand.
Your brand is your business MOST valuable asset. Your brand is actually the total of how your business is perceived by your audience. How you shape those perceptions is the key to influencing behavior. And it’s behavior that ultimately impacts your bottom line. .
So many new startups have the misconception that they need to start with their logo & push it to the masses. Without context & meaning behind it, it’s just a symbol. .
There’s a great deal of research & brainstorming involved in the branding process. You have to fully know & understand your marketplace & how your business fits in…how it can stand apart. .
Being like everyone else isn’t memorable. You have to be unique and relevant to your audience. Being relevant evokes feelings and those feelings are the key to building brand love.
BRANDING HELPS YOU:
Attract better customers. When you are clear on who you are trying to attract you can target strategically.
Command premium prices. People don’t buy products. They buy brands. Brands that establish meaningful differentiation can justify their worth and command higher prices.
Close sales. Positioning is evident in your communication. The superiority of your brand is driven home through your brand strategy. It’s pre selling for you.
Reduce marketing costs. You can create relevant messaging by targeting your most valuable customers when you are really clear of who they are and what they need/want.
Build brand equity. Positive perceptions increase buying behavior.
Creating a successful brand doesn’t happen by accident. Having a solid brand strategy is necessary to build the connection between your business and your intended audience. Brand love is created.
Rosa I Evans is a brand and social media consultant. Rosa works with your brand to create clear brand messages through visual and written communication that creates strong brand connections between the customer or target audience and your brand that lead to business growth and stronger market positioning. Follow Rosa on Instagram @rosaievans.
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Are you feeling frustrated with your business growth or lack thereof? Do you wish that you had a larger reach and a better strategy to carve out your brand’s uniqueness? If you answered yes, then you could benefit from some of Rosa I Evan’s brand and social media services.
