It’s the story of what you do and who you are.
Branding is the style that surrounds how you tell your story. What is unique about your business and what are your customers like? Very similar to the tactics of marketing, a good strategy for your branding works for you and tells the story like you want it to be told.
The personality of your business is your brand. Branding for “Apple” is the design, the ease of use, the association with simplicity, the human touch, the look, the style, the image you portray when you have an iphone, ipad or iwatch. The Marketing Strategy involves seeing their branding messages on the internet, in a magazine ad, on a display at the local Best Buy or Apple Store. It’s in the email you receive from Land’s End telling you there’s a 20% sale going on through Friday, it’s the DIY tips from Angie’s list you sign up for or the recipe list from the Food Network.
Some elements of branding are:
- Promise – A brand is a promise to consumers. What will consumers get when they purchase your product or service?
- Perception – Does your marketing accurately reflect your brand? You want to know what your customers think about your business!
- Expectations – When people purchase something from you, they have notions about what they’ll get. You’ll get a cheap airfare through Southwest Airlines, and you probably won’t get a glass of champagne on your tray table.
- Personality – Think of your brand as a person. What is that person like? Does it look like your ideal customer?
- Experience – There are intangibles that people associate with you: the customer service they receive, the color & design of your logo, the packaging of your product or service or the testimonials that people tell about you. Your brand is represented by all of these elements and understanding how they work together will put you in the driver’s seat for your Branding.
- Design – The look and feel of your brand can be expressed in the design of your logo and choice of colors.
If they are not in sync, you could be hurting your brand!