Branding is both a simple and complex concept. Historically, a brand used to mean a company’s logo, name, or slogan (or any combination thereof) used to generally identify a company. However, over time the definition has become more all-encompassing to also include consumers’ perception of a company, including their reputation, what they do, and the quality of their product/service—their marketplace identity, if you will. With this in mind, brand marketing is vital to businesses, particularly small businesses.
The Goal of Branding
Ultimately, the goal of branding is to get your target consumers to see you as the sole provider of your service/product, not just choose you once over the competition. A solid strategy will build customer loyalty and increase your company’s bottom line.
A good brand will connect with its target audience, validate the quality of its product/service, motivate purchases, and cultivate customer loyalty. Branding is the most effective method for increasing repeat business because customers’ perception of a company is principally formed by their previous experience(s), both good and bad.
A well-planned brand marketing strategy focuses on communication. You must communicate with your potential customer base regarding what your company does and why you’re the best. This initial phase includes the use of your logo on everything related to your company (website, press releases, product packaging, email addresses, etc.). BUT…you must also communicate directly with your client base, including the use of various methods of social media as well as providing superior customer service. Consumers are willing to go out of their way and/or pay slightly more to work with a company that has both quality products and quality service—two things that feed your brand’s reputation.
Your brand is the foundation on which you should build your overall marketing campaign because it is what will ensure repeat customers and positive word-of-mouth advertising.
