6 Reasons Branding is Everything for Your Business

If growing your customer base and expanding your brand recognition is one of your priorities right now, keep on reading because we’re about to get into the nitty-gritty of branding and the importance of having a clear brand identity!! 

Let’s start at the beginning… What is branding and what does it mean to have a ‘brand?’ For us at Capitol Content, branding is the start. Developing or revamping your brand is in itself developing your business strategy. They’re one of the same. Because branding is not just a pretty design; it is a much larger strategy.

Branding involves developing and implementing a number of identifiable features to your business so your customers can associate themselves with your company/agency/studio. Branding increases the recognisability of products and services amongst your consumers to give you a competitive edge within your market. Visual branding typically comprises a name, tagline, logo or symbol, design and brand voice. It also refers to the underlying values of the business and the overall experience a customer undergoes when interacting with a company. In order to achieve this, we need to identify some key factors before we even start talking about designs. 

Here are six reasons why developing and strategizing your brand identity is not only important but necessary:

1. Customer Recognition

So imagine the shape of an apple with a bite taken out of it… Did your mind go straight to laptops, phones, and the tech giant, Apple? I bet it did. Apple is one of the most recognizable brands in the world. An icon as simple as an apple with a bite out of it not only makes you think of their tech products, but it makes you associate yourself with the company. Having a recognizable brand means that consumers are far more likely to opt for your products in comparison to a less recognizable brand. But how does one make the business recognizable? Well, there are two essential elements that will increase your brand recognition. Without strategically planning these elements, your brand, and in turn your marketing, will fall flat.

a) Brand Messaging: The strategic process of communicating your company’s purpose to your ideal client/customer. This can be achieved through having a consistent messaging, mission, voice, emotion, and language. Consistent communication style is essential when developing your brand messaging. 

b) Brand Identity: Creating a distinguishable and cohesive brand identity means that your customers can automatically identify your brand at first glance. Think of this as a visual cue that will help customers to recall your business. Implementing it consistently throughout your marketing materials will improve the likelihood that your brand will be remembered by your audience. Brand consistency is key in developing customer brand recognition.

2. Customers identify and recognize your products and/or company

From a visual standpoint you want people to be able to pick your company out from a line up. It’s like when you go to the grocery store and you are able to  pick out your favorite orange juice without even reading the label. You simply pick it out from a wide variety of brands and go on your way.. To establish strong brand recognition, you need to put your visual brand on everything! Get your business out there for everyone to see, over and over and over again.

3. Customer loyalty & Shared Values

When you win over a customer they become your best ally when it comes to fortifying your brand. When people like something, they really like it, and they want to tell everyone about it! According to the Harvard Business Review, 64% of consumers say that sharing the same values with a brand is the primary reason they have a relationship in the first place. When strategizing and building your brand, you need to convey these values in order to evoke an emotional connection with your customers. Brand loyalty often lasts a lifetime and even transfers to future generations. Now, this is exactly the kind of customer loyalty that every business wants, am I right? The only way to establish loyalty is through consistency. This is why you need a bigger overall strategy to accompany the visual piece of your brand.

4. Customer Trust within the marketplace.

Consistency = trust. This is why when you’re developing or revamping your brand identity you create a solid enough style that keeps your business consistent. When implementing your business’s brand strategy throughout your marketing activities, you increase the level of credibility of your brand amongst your customers, along with your competitive edge, and recognition within the marketplace. Having effective branding, mixed with excellent content marketing helps to establish your business as an expert in your industry. This is beneficial as it instils confidence and trust in your business amongst the general public, meaning that they know that your product or service offerings are recommended and of high quality. 

5. Customer Retention

Now, this is an important one. Once you start to build loyalty and trust among customers, how do you keep them around? It’s important to realise that branding aids in the retention of existing customers as it keeps customers engaged with your brand and marketing materials. This customer experience influences customer retention. So now it is about continuing to show value to your customers and staying consistent. When you’re building out your brand identity and the larger brand strategy, you need to consider your customers’ experience and journey with your business to keep them intrigued, engaged, and returning. Having engaging and streamlined marketing materials (like videos) is a great way to keep clients/customers interested. Engaging your customers with clever content, that can then be shared and spoken about among your customers can be an effective way to increase your brand awareness and position yourself as a credible expert within your industry.

6. Branding and Brand Equity

Brand Equity refers to the value that a company generates from a product with a recognisable name when compared to a generic equivalent. Through marketing activities, businesses can increase their brand equity by making their brand more memorable and recognisable. Positive brand equity can only be achieved through strong brand foundations such as brand messaging, identity and values. Business marketing strategies such as advertising would not have the same memorable and instantly recognisable effect. 

Okay, so now that we have established having a strategic, well thought out and consistent brand identity is pretty important, now what?

Here are the next steps? 

Here at Capital Content, we help clients through our brand identity sessions on developing their brand from the ground up or also if you need a refresh! We’ll take you under our roof for one day giving you a new vision, clarity and direction for your brand or business. This means us giving you the plan and the words to take your brand to the next level. With your brand in mind, we will: