"Branding is deliberate differentiation." - Debbie Millman, Chair and Co-founder, Masters Program in Branding, School of Visual Arts
That old saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover”, may well be true for crafting longer-term relationships but in the world of advertising and marketing, it just doesn’t hold up. We may not even notice it, but we are constantly judging, and buying, books (keeping the metaphor alive, here…) by their covers.
Every day, most of us will encounter thousands of different messages from all directions. They’re in the ads that we see, on the clothes that we wear, the packaging of the food that we eat, the car that we drive. They’re everywhere. The branding is what our brains use to make swift decisions on whether or not to take notice.
Great brand identities help convey a message and guide people’s assumptions. Not all branding is equal. A strong brand identity for your business can transmit meaning, helping you to attract, and sell to, the people who are already looking for you.
Each occasion that someone encounters your brand, we refer to as an impression. Without consistent branding, people may not recognise your brand at each impression. This could be dramatically slowing down your ability to build relationships and trust with your customers.
Building trust with your customers is one of the most efficient ways to grow your business as increased trust will inevitably lead to more sales. Developing a set of brand guidelines that outline how your brand should look and talk to its customers is a great way to ensure your brand remains consistent and help to create a lasting impression.
In Donald Miller’s book, Building aStory Brand, he describes the consumption of messaging and content as“burning mental calories”. We are all inherently lazy. Why would we do something in 10 minutes, if it can be done in 1? Striving for greater efficiency every day is beneficial to our existence.
Strategically designed branding communications that take this into account are the best way to quickly connect with your customers. Effective branding requires a healthy balance of form and function, to create a clear hierarchy and appeal. It can take years to master the skill required to communicate brand messaging in this way.
We've all faced that moment where we passed on a new product or service, simply because it took too much effort to understand what it was for, or what the brand was trying to tell us. Applying well-designed brand messaging to the touch points of your brand will help customers understand the message you are trying to communicate more efficiently and consume fewer of those “mental calories”.
Have you ever heard the term “shiny object syndrome”? To put it simply, humans just can’t resist new things that stand out. That’s how your branding should be.
Branding that uses poorly designed identity, content and messaging can prove unremarkable and blend in with the competition. Worse still, it could even trigger an avoidance response in the customer's mind, leading to missed sales opportunities that might cost your business.
Exceptional branding requires natural talent and a demonstration of empathy for your customers that can take many years of practice and experience to hone. People pay more for things that appear more unique or bespoke to their specific needs. Harnessing unique branding in your business will help you stay miles ahead of your competition and charge a premium for your product or service by increasing the perceived value.
Put it this way. These days, anyone can take a photograph on their phone but there are still photographers out there making a living because the result of their practice, experience, and talent, is worth paying for.
Viewers at an art gallery can become captivated by the creativity of others. Art can speak to us and elicit an emotional response. Above all, your branding allows you to connect with your audience and to communicate with more than just words. With it, you can share your story, values, passion, and vision. It can even drive people to share them for you! Businesses that invest in branding do so knowing that it will pay dividends back to their business for years to come. We believe that the difference between poor and great branding is the application of strategy.Taking the time to discover your brand strategy, brand positioning, desired customers and objectives will, without doubt, help increase engagement and sales in your business.
Branding is an essential tool for any business as it can help your brand make a positive and lasting first impression.
Build your brand’s reputation through consistent application and increased brand awareness. Save time and money with increased brand recognition and customer understanding. Outperform your competition, and elevate your brand perception, using branding that is tailored to your business. Connect better with your customers by applying brandstrategy, brand positioning, customer profiling and brand objectives to your branding.
Ready to take your branding to the next level? At Goodfifty, we create brands that connect with real people.Building brands that wish to have a positive impact is our passion, and we live and breathe it every day.
If you need help with your branding or design, we can help. Let us do the heavy lifting for you. Contact us today.
