Why is branding important?

Setting up a successful business takes hard work, dedication and a lot of perseverance.

It takes time to build your brand, add new people to your team, and create a name for yourself in your industry.

And doing all that is essential for your business growth. 

But there’s one thing that companies don’t always consider a priority when building their business. And that’s building their ‘brand’.

Yes, you may have got your logo spot on. You might even have a motto, mission statement or set of brand guidelines created that allow all employees to follow the ‘rules’ of your business.

But branding is so much more than that.

Just like how you present yourself in certain situations, branding gives you a persona, establishing how to present yourself to your customers.

Essentially, branding is an art form; it has the power to shape your company and tone of voice to connect with your audience on a deeper level.

Like we always say, a business without a brand identity lacks emotion. It’s soulless.

So, what is ‘brand identity’?

In simple terms, brand identity is how people perceive your business across all your chosen media outlets, from your product, service, website, social media and more.

When all these elements work together well, following the same brand identity, you build a perception of your business that encourages trust. This technique ensures that your brand is one that people want to invest in or work with.

And that’s how powerful constructing an effective brand identity can be.

We’d go as far as to say it’s one of the most critical aspects of building your business. It shouldn’t be something that’s an afterthought; it needs to be carefully considered to have any chance of success.

Why is branding important for your business?

A business comprises of many elements; a marketing team, development managers, customer service advisors, creatives and much more.

By highlighting how your brand wants to come across in the market to every member of your team, this collaborative approach will have a much greater chance of making an impact in your industry.

Although businesses often consider how they will be seen by their customers, in most cases, we see this being a very ‘surface level’ discussion. 

“On social media, we want to have a friendly, approachable tone”. Yes, it’s fundamental to establish your modulation of voice, but is it enough?

So, let’s highlight what a detailed, well-thought-out branding strategy can do for your business.

Making your brand recognisable

Establishing a brand image or identity is one way to make your company stand out from the crowd and grow a business in a saturated market.

From the use of colour, the creation of an appropriate logo to establishing a relevant tone of voice that will connect with your intended audience, when all these ideas work together, you start to build the identity of your business.

So, let’s discuss a simple example to understand how this can work in practice.

Think of the colours red and yellow; does a brand spring to mind?

We’re sure you’re already there, but let’s add a golden arch in the mix, and you know we’re talking about McDonald’s.

Although it’s one of the biggest brands in the world, they’ve spent years creating this business persona that makes them appear fun and upbeat; essentially, it’s a method used to appeal to their initial intended audience, children.

If the introduction of Happy Meals and Ronald McDonald doesn’t highlight this enough, McDonald’s short, catchy slogans certainly give them a friendly, family feel.

Working together with their upbeat, appealing advertisements and social media campaigns, they create this brand identity of being a fun brand for young people, and it works. Well, you could say we’re lovin’ it.

Creating brand trust

When people or businesses part with their hard-earned money, they will be weighing up whether they can trust your brand without even realising it.

That’s why reviews and testimonials are so popular as a marketing tool today; they will quickly highlight if a business is trustworthy, reliable and provides a great product or service.

And establishing a brand identity is another way to convey that you are trustworthy to your consumer.

By having fluidity of brand image across all platforms, you begin to build your brand’s persona. 

For example, you might choose to use lighthearted language, appealing slogans, and bright colours for your graphics on social media. 

But, if you click through to your website and it doesn’t follow the same tone, subconsciously, a potential customer may not fully grasp what your business is all about. 

There’s no consistency, and this doesn’t build a brand. In fact, it can destroy it, along with the perception of your business to your audience.

Integrating Office Branding for a Cohesive Identity

In the realm of business growth and brand development, one often overlooked aspect is the role of office branding. While creating an external image is crucial, the internal environment where your team operates is equally significant. Office branding extends beyond logos and colour schemes; it encompasses the physical workspace, fostering an atmosphere that aligns with your brand identity.

Points your business in the right direction

When a new staff member joins your team, they’ll be quick to understand how you run internally, as they are there in the flesh to experience how your business operates.

But in terms of how you portray your company to your audience, this requires a greater level of research and understanding.

That’s why we always promote the importance of brand guidelines. This document details the in’s and out’s of the business clearly, allowing all staff to understand the motivations behind why you do what you do.

Ensuring that all your staff fully grasp your brand identity will give your business the best chance of portraying this to your customers. This understanding will, therefore, promote brand trust and instil an established marque personality.

Customers will know what they’re getting

As we’ve explained throughout this blog post, having a brand identity means you’ll be creating a clear vision that your customers will understand.

Understanding what your business offers will provide clarity and put customers at ease, as they will be well aware of what to expect from you.

And following the rules laid out in this guide will help establish this strong foundation, providing a clear direction of who you are and, therefore, who you’ll appeal to audience-wise.

As customers will know what they’re getting when they work or procure from you, you’ll create brand loyalty, hopefully leading to referrals and repeat business.

And if you’re looking for a team to help you establish your own identity through branding, Plan B is here to help.

Get in touch with us today to discover how we can help you achieve success for your brand with the help of our expert team, innovation and creative ideas.