When you think about branding for your business, what usually comes up in your mind?
Personally, I've always thought branding was about the visual stuff - websites, logos, colors, and picking out strategic fonts. Because that's the way branding has been sold to us by the marketing agencies, right?
But now things are changing. Partially because it's getting easier and easier to create things like websites and logos. But also because consumers are becoming more sophisticated.
People aren't as impressed with colors and logos, anymore. They want to see more substance and connection.
Don't believe me? That's cool. Check it out.
Verve, a prominent European marketing agency, has this to say about the use of logos...
In designing modern brands, we need to look at how they can connect with people on an emotional level — otherwise there’s no chance you will stand out from the crowd. Just having a great logo won’t get you there.
And this is coming from a company whose job it is to sell logos.
So if branding isn't logos and cool websites, then what is it?
What is the definition of branding?
I honestly didn't know. I mean... branding is such a vague concept, especially since the word brand is a noun. If you're branding, you're essentially just being a brand. It's not very helpful.
So I took it upon myself to look up the answer on Daddy Google, and the results very suprising.
Here are a bunch of definitions I got from the first page of Google.
You can peruse them if you wish. They definitely back up what the guys at Verve were saying. I'm going to analyze them in the next section when I tell you a little about my own definition of branding.
Branding is the process where a business makes itself known to the public and differentiates itself from competitors. Branding typically includes a phrase, design or idea that makes it easily identifiable to the public. - Indeed
Brand marketing is the process of establishing and growing a relationship between a brand and consumers. - Amazon Ads
The purpose of brand building is to help your customers understand what you offer and what you stand for, through effective positioning. Great branding communicates a unique selling proposition (USP), your brand's mission and values, and your brand’s story. These all help customers decide if you are a business that meets their needs or aligns with their values. -Shopify
What is branding?
Branding is a process.
Branding your business is not going to happen overnight. You can't pay someone $20,000 for a cool website, and have an instant smash-hit of a brand.
Why not?
For starters, you're going to have to put words on your website. And what happens if people don't like your words? Or what happens if they don't like what you're selling? Or what if they do like what you're selling, and they just don't trust you?
I don't think that it's a coincidence that in two of the definitions above, they used the word "process."
Getting to know your audience, and letting them in to your world is going to be a process. There are no overnight success stories.
Branding is positioning.
What is your offer, and why should I care? These are the two questions you've got to ask yourself, when creating your brand.
It's kind of like when you're at a party, and you see someone attractive across the room. You go up to them, start a conversation, and eventually ask them if they're single. Because you want to know what they have to offer you.
Customers are in the same boat. They want to know what you have to offer them. Are you offering a dirty, one-night stand? Or a lifetime of commitment? They could be into either, but you've got to let them know what you can give them.
Branding is creating a relationship.
Once people know what you're offering them, it's time to start a relationship. It's important that your customers can trust you. How are you going to make them feel safe and cared for?
Maybe you're not offering a lifetime of commitment. Maybe you're selling socks. How do they know that the socks are actually going to make it to their front door? How do they know the socks are going to keep their feet warm? Or that they'll last more than a season?
This is where the bulk of branding lives. Getting your customers to trust you, and then building a solid relationship with them. That way they'll come back to you when their feet are cold.
Branding is differentiation from your competitors.
This is a very overlooked concept, because it isn't enough to be good anymore. Being good will turn you into a commodity. Being good at what you do is a race to the bottom.
You've got to be different.
Honestly, you don't even have to be good at what you do, if you can prove you're different from the other guys. There are loads of ways to be different. Pick one, and emphasize it.
Now you know what branding is...
The next thing to do is create a strategy for your business based on the information you've just been given. I don't want to overwhelm you, so I'm going to write a separate post on how to do just that.
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