Proper Branding: The Importance of Standing Out
Your business most likely sees a lot of competition. It’s very rare that a company has a regional monopoly on a service. Your particular services have their own characteristics, but the industry still exists.
And if someone doesn’t dig deep into your company, how are they going to know what sets you apart from your competitors?
This is where branding comes in. Conscientiously branding your company is a way for you to solidify to yourself as well as your customers who you are, what you do, and what values drive your decisions.
Branding Is Not a Logo, Although a Logo Is Part of Branding
A lot of people think a company’s brand and a company’s logo are the same thing. They are not. The brand refers to the general idea that aligns the various aspects of the company. This includes the way services are advertised, company attitude and environment, the ideals driving the service, how the staff interacts with customers, and more.
The company’s logo is a graphic symbol that customers use to identify your products and services. The logo is created with the brand in mind, but they are not synonymous.
So now that we know what branding refers to, how does it help your company stand out from your competition?
Recognition
The first benefit of a solid brand identity is that it helps customers to recognize your business much quicker. The logo is a large contributor to this benefit, but there are other aspects that play a role. For instance, many businesses use particular color schemes in their establishments. And when a member of the public comes across one of these color schemes, they are inclined to think of the business. The logo, color scheme, or even structural design of the building can help customers recognize your business and call your services to mind.
Visit FCI Promos to see how they can help you stand out from your competition.
Attracts New Customers
Memorable branding helps increase word-of-mouth leads. A customer is not going to be able to tell their friend about your services if they can’t remember the name of your company. Cohesive branding will stick in your customer’s mind — whether it’s the logo, the company’s atmosphere, or the way employees represent the brand. All of these factors play off each other when branding is well-understood and done correctly. This helps both the customers as well as the employees understand the decisions your company makes.
Builds Trust
Familiarity builds trust. And quality branding builds familiarity. Your customers begin to feel like they understand your company. And when they see your branding in multiple places throughout the day, they are going to become much more comfortable with you. It can take a lot of work to convince someone to spend their money at your business. A basis of trust that can be gained from an agreeable brand can go a long way to building this trust.
Helps Advertise
Your marketing should follow your branding. The tone, the message, the presentation — all of it is dictated by your branding. So once you put in the work to define your company’s brand, the advertising and marketing will fall into place. Simply expand upon the basis you’ve built with your company’s identity. Your customers will connect with these messages as long as they coincide with every other interaction they’ve had with you.
Sets You Apart
Imagine searching for your own company from the point of view of a potential customer that has never heard of you. Perhaps they enter your industry into an internet search. Maybe they ask their friends for recommendations. What is it going to take to catch your attention? While some of your competition may come across as names on a page, an effective brand will make your business come alive. Communicate your ideals and services in an instant by displaying your brand.
Creates New Opportunities for Revenue
Nike doesn’t just sell sneakers. They’ve expanded their revenue stream to pants, shirts, hats, equipment and more. And how did they effectively do that? By building a strong brand. This includes their famous logo, but it also includes their perceived focus on quality for sporting apparel. An effective brand opens up more possibilities for your business to expand upon existing products and services.
Puts Employees in a Similar Mindset
And just how effective branding can communicate your company’s ideals and attitude to your customers, it can do the same for your employees. This creates a loop that only reinforces the branding. Your customer-facing employees represent your business. And they perpetuate your brand when they embody the emotion and purpose of your business. This is much easier for them to do when you put forth a well-communicated, homogeneous, and honest brand.
Contact FCI Promos to learn how to make your branding work for you.