You Gotta Get Your Branding Right If You Want to Be Successful

In today’s market, branding isn’t optional—it’s a necessity. Your brand is more than just your logo or tagline, it’s the perception people have of your business, and it influences whether they choose you over your competitors. Getting it right from the start is the difference between thriving and reflecting your true values and offers OR blending into the crowd and not getting the attention of your target audience. 

When it comes to branding, two questions often linger…

“What does good branding really look like?” And “How do I get branding right?”

Good branding is so much more than just having a logo! Im fact, it incorporates several layers like your specific color palette, typography, design style, icons, graphics and so much more. Even your tone of voice and story are part of a strong successful brand. 

Think about Martha Stewart.

You can look at anything out of her products and you can immediately tell it is hers without even seeing the name. How? Because she has a consistent tone of voice, colors, font, style, design and more. What’s more, when it comes to a brand like hers (but we could offer many other similar examples), you somehow feel that you know her, that she’s there to help you — and that's because her brand is strategically crafted to build trust and familiarity. 

Great branding truly needs to do so much more than just “being pretty” or “looking cool”.

On the flip side, a bad brand creates confusion among customers and misalignment with them. It may even attract the wrong customers making it more difficult to sell. And if your branding is inconsistent, maybe because you’re trying to figure out what works by throwing branding spaghetti at the wall, you just won't be able to be memorable or make an impact.

But the most important thing to keep in mind is that poor branding makes businesses blend in and become irrelevant - and that can be lethal in very competitive markets.

So how do you stand out?

Here are some points to consider to get your brand JUST RIGHT:

• Understand Your Audience
  ...because to build a brand that lasts, you have to start with a clear understanding of your audience and values. If you know who you’re targeting and what resonates with them, you can design a brand that speaks to them, that inspires them and that creates stronger connections and advocacy, on a deeper level.

• Define Your Brand Identity
  Before even talking about logo’s, you need to work on your brand identity, which you can put together by looking at your values, messaging, competitive advantage, and archetype, just to name a few. There are many ways to go on about a brand identity and some designers or brand strategists will want to collaborate with your marketing team and/or involve someone who looks at your marketing, to ensure you’ve got the strongest brand identity for your business to thrive. A lack of identity in branding can create confusion, erode trust, and hurt your reputation, so this step is really key to get it right.

• Hire the Right Professionals
  Invest in professionals who can help craft an identity - both strategically and design-wise. They will be able to create something that’s visually appealing and a money-making machine.
  
  If you’ve been on the fence about hiring a professional designer because Fiverr or Canva seem like cheaper, equally productive options, please take a look at this article.

• Be Consistent
  From visuals to messaging, to the customer experience you provide or the people you hire to represent your brand, you want to be as “on brand” as possible. When your brand is consistent and professional it signals reliability, which is critical for building trust and attracting and retaining customers. People want to invest in brands that feel credible and familiar, and that give a sense of emotional connection — that’s eventually what turns customers into lifelong advocates.
  

So remember this, branding drives business growth. That's why it's crucial to get your branding just right, consistent, and aligned with what your business really has to offer. 

Book a discovery call with our team today to learn more about how we can help you get your branding right.