Everywhere you turn these days you hear someone talking about “branding.” It’s become sort of a buzz phrase with multiple meanings attached to it. Perhaps you’ve even participated in conversations about your own brand.
But do you know what it means to have an incredible one? Let’s dive in.
First, let’s agree on what a brand is. From a very high level, a brand represents the encounter a customer has with your business. This includes many factors from tangible ones, like the consistency of design elements, to ones that are harder to measure but just as important, like the emotions someone feels when they interact with your business, the values your business operates on and the reputation of your team that motivates others to speak about you.
Whether you like it or not, your loyal customers and potential customers are forming opinions about your brand every single time they interact with it or think about it, and these interactions culminate in whether or not they buy from you. Sometimes these thought processes take place at a subconscious level. To put it as simply as possible, there really isn’t a simple definition of a brand, and that’s exactly why it’s so important to get it right at every step of the way.
Here are five of the many benefits of having a strong brand presence:
- Credibility: Customers are more likely to trust defined brands over other ones because they see you as a credible source of information, products and services they can count on. This is reinforced every time they purchase from you or have a positive experience.
- Loyalty: Familiarity feels good to everyone and, over time, a consistent brand that keeps showing up strengthens the loyalty your customers feel toward you. Eventually, loyal customers become fans and will be inspired to tell the world about how great you are, doing the work for you.
- Aesthetics: Let’s face it; beautiful brands are not only interesting to look at, but they stand out against the competition in today’s noisy world. Your brand is a chance to showcase your company’s personality and show customers the unique value you bring to their lives.
- Longevity: The world’s greatest brands hold strong to their brand identities, never compromising for trends that come and go. The payoff is seen in the top positions they hold in the markets they dominate. Think Starbucks, Apple and Target.
- Pride: People love to engage with, talk about and be a part of reputable and loved brands. This is especially true internally; companies with reputable brands often have more engaged employees who are proud to represent them. This pays off in the form of employee satisfaction and, in turn, happy customers.
If you’re beginning to understand the importance of a strong brand but yours could use a little bit of love, it may be time for a brand audit and rediscovery process. Contact us for a free brand discovery consultation today.