A Beginners Guide to Branding

What is a Brand?

A good question, and certainly one that we’ve spent many an hour pondering over. The truth is, branding is what people think about your business, the first thing that comes to mind when they hear your name. Quality branding is much more than your recent leaflet or Facebook post.

It’s about creating a consistent message and image that fronts what you do. If you get this right, this branding should be incorporated into every aspect of your company. From your website, social media, and emails to your packaging, in-store experience, and print materials.

The Brand Burden

In all honesty, creating an effective brand that captures the essence of your company is quite hard. Whilst ensuring that you provide your clients with the product or service that they require. But for us, we LOVE it!

A strong brand gets to the heart of what makes your company tick. Whether you’re a bespoke dog hairstylist or a veteran plumber, you need a brand that underpins what you want to achieve with your enterprise.

At the same time, your branding materials e.g. your logo, brochures, and website have to remain ‘on-trend’. Basically, it’s like keeping up with the latest styles appearing on the catwalk. Otherwise, in a severely crowded (and only getting worse) market, you risk being outdated by your competitors.

Perception Meets Products

The other issue with branding, of course, is your customers. Arguably the most important people, as their reaction to your brand will ultimately decide if they want to engage with your business. Yep, those annoying customers, who buy your products, pay for your services, and keep your business running, you HAVE to consider them.

The truth is, their perception of your brand is perhaps just as important as your image. Meaning that everything from your customer service, to your responses on social media, and the helpful information on your website can drastically affect how people perceive your business. But this does depend on the individual themselves, their personality, needs, and past experience.

So, this poses the question, do you really have any control over how people view your brand?

We think, Yes! (to a certain extent)

If your branding is consistent, true, and adopted 100% by your employees, at every touchpoint, your brand will be enforced in the same way.

What a Difference a Brand Makes

As well as designing and building awesome websites, delivering high-quality print and providing monthly SEO, content and ads support, SO Marketing specialise in full re-branding solutions.

We start by getting to know the people behind the business, what their long-term goals are, and how their company works. Then we focus on their customers, why they choose that business, what motivates their buying behaviours, and what they want from a brand.

Want to chat branding? Get in touch at [email protected]