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Make Your Mark: The Importance of Branding for Business

Joe Ford

Your business brand says volumes about what you stand for and how you market your services. Don’t get it wrong! Here is the importance of branding for business.

Branding is one of the most important marketing decisions you will make for your business. How do I know this?

59% of shoppers make purchases based on their familiarity with a brand.

Even you, as business savvy as you may be, are influenced by branding. But why is branding important to the purchase decision? Let’s take a look at the factors that add to the importance of branding.

Brand Marketing: What is it?

Before you can understand why branding is important, you need to understand what branding is. Branding is the image you portray to your customers.

Branding is the logo, design, slogans, etc that distinguish your company from your competitors. This includes your website design and social media material. This also includes all promotional materials:

  • Business cards
  • Flyers
  • Ads
  • Brochures

Anything used to promote your business and the products you offer is part of the brand marketing.

The Importance of Branding

Your branding is what distinguishes you from your competitors. It’s what defines your company in the public eye.

Your branding helps identify your company’s beliefs, goals, and values. The trick is using your branding effectively.

While brand marketing is just one part of the overall marketing plan, it affects every other marketing decision you make. As you make decisions about products, promotional material, documents, etc., the branding will play a role.

Standing Out From the Competition

with effective branding, you can protect yourself from copycats. While competition is part of bthe usiness, not all competitors are above board.

If you’re smart with your branding you can protect yourself from competitors that might try to use your marketing materials for themselves. Making sure you brand all materials with a distinguishable brand protects from this type of theft.

Branding also helps your customers pick your products over your competitors. If you create loyal customers, they will look for your brand when making purchases.

Attracting Your Target Audience

With the right branding, you can attract the customers that are right for you. Your branding needs to keep this target customer in mind. Take the time to determine who you’re targeting before you start creating your branding material.

Once you have a target audience in mind, work to make your brand marketing appealing to that person.

  • Address problems that affect your customers.
  • Be consistent with the branding across all platforms and media.
  • Create visually appealing designs that connect with your target audience.

It’s okay to be specific with your branding. Your product is not for everybody and trying to market to everybody will yield fewer sales. Do your research and create marketing branding that keeps a specific audience in mind.

Delivering a Clear Message

Before you start making the visuals, make sure you have a clear purpose for your business and a clear benefit to your customers. This will help create branding that appeals to the right customer.

Make sure all branding reflects this vision. Use your branding to explain who you are. Make sure the branding gives specifics about what you offer.

Show your customers how your company provides value to them. This will help establish credibility with current and future customers. Make sure this message is consistent in everything you do.

Shoppers will not connect with a company they don’t trust. Use your branding to create that trust. Make sure not only your message but your branding materials are recognizable.

Remember, your brand marketing is about making it as easy as possible for customers to purchase from you.

Creating an Emotional Connection

Branding is about connecting your customers with your products. To do this, you need to create real connections with your customers.

While creating credibility is part of this connection, you also want them to feel a sense of community with your brand. You want to establish an emotional connection with them.

A customer that feels a sense of community with your brand will be more likely to recommend your company to their friends and family. They are also more likely to seek your products out.

To create this emotional connection, you need to show your customers that you understand them. Show them that you understand their needs as well as their desires. Also, show them how you can address both of these factors.

To create even more connection, make your brand a community. Make them feel special to be part of your brand. Don’t be fake because they will be able to tell, but help them connect with your company and other customers.

Creating an emotional connection also means being available to your customers. While you may not be available 24/7, you can make it easy for them to get in touch with you. Just make sure you’re responsive to whatever methods of contact you offer customers.

Make sure your brand marketing reflects this sense of community. Make sure it also gives clear ways to connect with your company.

Bringing the Brand Marketing All Together

By creating brand marketing materials that keep your ideal customer in mind, you can build the needed connections to continue to attract new customers. By combining credibility, emotional connections, purpose, and recognition you can create a brand that stands out.

Proper branding can take a lot of work. If you’re having trouble creating the right branding, or you just don’t have the necessary time to do the proper research and creation, don’t fret. There are companies out there, like the MAD Group, dedicated to brand creation and marketing.

If you choose to use a branding agency, you can get the right branding for your company needs without the added stress. Branding agencies have knowledgeable staff trained in creating effective brand marketing material. A branding agency will work with you to provide the branding that reflects your company’s values and goals.

Branding is a Tool in the Marketing Plan

Branding is just one step in the marketing plan.

While we’ve looked at the importance of branding, the overall marketing plan is also important.

If you’re looking for more marketing or business tips, check out our business archives.