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Branding. Not Just For Cattle Anymore. Branding is no longer just the mark burned into the hide of an animal to identify it as belonging to a certain farmer. Branding is also a name, sign, symbol, design or combination that identifies goods and services as belonging to one company or set of companies, and differentiates them from others. A good brand can clearly deliver your message to your target audience and confirm your credibility. It motivates buyers, creates user loyalty and connects with customers, clients and prospects on an emotional basis. Since your brand will sit in the mind of your target market, it can be looked at as the foundation of your marketing communication. To succeed in branding you must understand the wants of your target market and integrate your branding strategies at every point of marketing contact. Branding does not just refer to a hip new logo, tagline or folded sell sheet. A strong brand integrates all the components, from customer communications, employee relations, corporate values and advertising/marketing work, and makes them bond together. Brand consistency must be established and pushed through all levels of your organization. Strong brands can help an organization grow, drive an increase in sales and create the opportunity for partnerships with vendors and investors. Setting the standard is necessary. And a consistent evaluation of that standard is likewise a necessity. The real life test is this: Look at your current advertising/marketing material. Is there consistency? The key to building strong brand awareness is being consistent. This doesn’t mean running the same ad many times over, or that every flyer has to look the same. What it does mean is that consistent elements, that is the look, feel, tone, and personality of your brand, should be connected across all of levels of advertising. Consistency provides customers the comfort that your brand is safe, legitimate and has longevity. This is why Home Depot will always use orange, why IBM will always use blue, and why Nike will always use the swoosh. The secret to successful branding is simple: Consistency. Take a look at what you have: your logo, website, business cards, sell sheets, ads, flyers, corporate booklets, even your paystubs and letterhead. Do they match in tone and feel? Do they exude your company’s persona and mission? Are they working? Or is there something missing? To do a major overhaul all at once is a costly endeavour, a little at a time is much more manageable. Think of what look and feel you want and how you want your company perceived. Then hire the services of a professional graphic designer. A great designer can make sure your branding says exactly what you want it to. |
