When it comes to creating a brand identity for your business, think of it like becoming the main character in a TV Show. You want it to be someone that people will believe in and fall in love with. Will it be BA Baracus, Chandler Bing, or Dana Scully? With the right branding, you'll be able to pursue a stellar relationship with your customers based on a deep emotional connection, ensuring they revisit your brand over and over again.
Branding is the complex process of creating a relationship between the business and its customer. And like any blossoming relationship, it requires mutual respect and understanding from both parties. Effective branding should always ensure that both the business and its customers remain winners. A one-sided focus in branding often leads to failure. Therefore, it is important to understand that it is a two-way street. Unless it’s Elm Street – then grab a flask of strong coffee and run!
The business must be willing to invest in its customers and build long-term relationships with them, while also ensuring that its customers are happy and satisfied with the services or products they are providing. This way, businesses can show that they value their customers, creating a strong and lasting bond between the pair.
How does the business benefit?
Recognition.
Branding is a super powerful tool for businesses as it helps customers easily recognise the organisation, their product or service. Like those familiar attributes that make Superman, Superman. His super strength and speed; his ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound; his belief in truth, justice and the American way; the ‘S’ on his chest, the red cape and even wearing pants over his tights. It creates an identity that personifies the business in the eyes of the public. Brand recognition allows businesses to stand out from their competitors and differentiate their offerings from the rest.
Investing in branding can help businesses reach new heights and create a lasting impression on consumers and industry leaders alike. No matter your business’s size, having a distinctive brand that resonates with customers is essential for long-term success.
Clarity.
Developing a brand is an effective way to communicate the business's purpose, beliefs and offerings to its customers. By clearly defining who they are and what they do, they can demonstrate their unique value in the market, ultimately making it easier for potential customers to recognise and remember the brand. Businesses can further enhance their brand clarity through the effective use of marketing. Any communications used in this process should result in a clear, consistent message that resonates with the target audience. Clarity is essential for building a rock-solid brand that ensures companies stand out and makes a lasting impression.
Trust.
When it comes to making an impact with a brand, success and trust go hand in hand. A popular, recognisable portfolio helps to build trust, while a reliable reputation can lead to success. A strong brand represents a company’s beliefs and provides customers with a sense of security when making purchases or using a service. When customers trust a brand, they are likely to return again and again, providing repeat business. Additionally, customers will often recommend the business to friends and family, creating a larger pool of potential customers. Establishing trust can be a sticky process, but the effort is often rewarded in the long run.
In a nutshell, it will improve sales
When a brand has recognition, clarity and trust, it has a solid foundation to build a deeper connection with its target audience. This connection makes the presence of the brand more meaningful and tangible; it becomes more than just another product or service. People become loyal to the brand because they feel that it understands their needs and wants. Not in any kind of creepy way, I must add! That’s more of a cult. Cults are not cool, dude.
Building a brand is not only important for success, but also for improving sales. And we all know a business without sales is the same as driving a car without fuel: you're not going to go anywhere. Increased loyalty towards the brand will result in more people buying its products or services and in turn, this will lead to an improvement in sales. Ta-da! It is therefore essential that we continue to emphasise the importance of building a brand as it is one of the most important aspects of any business’s success.
How does the customer benefit?
Familiarity.
People tend to be more comfortable with things they are already familiar with, rather than things they have never seen or experienced before. Remember the first time your devoted mother dropped your ass off at those ironclad school gates and waved you goodbye from the comfort of her Vauxhall Cavalier. The second time wasn’t so bad, was it? With familiarity comes a feeling of security and comfort, reducing anxiety or uncertainty, which leads to customers feeling more relaxed and trusting of a brand. Customers are more likely to have confidence in a brand they know and have had positive experiences with in the past, helping to build that crucial relationship.
Confidence.
Feeling confident is a critical factor when it comes to making a purchase as it helps customers feel more secure when making their decision. Confidence doesn’t only apply to the customer. When a company can prove that they stand behind their product or service through impactful branding, it strengthens the overall image. When both parties feel a Harvey Specter kind of confidence, it helps to reduce any doubts or hesitations customers may have about a purchase as they know the brand is reliable. Confidence is also important for customer loyalty, as customers who trust a brand are more likely to remain loyal and continue to purchase from them in the future.
Ownership.
Brand ownership is an essential element for customer engagement as it helps to bridge the gap between consumer and company. It creates a shared sense of purpose, allowing customers to feel like they are part of something bigger than just a boring transactional relationship. Customers who experience this feeling of ownership may be more likely to invest not just dolla but time and energy in the brand. Ultimately, it's about creating a sense of community and connection between the customers and the brand that will last long after the transaction is complete. By fostering a sense of ownership, companies can forge deeper relationships with their customers.
In an eggshell, it creates an association
When customers engage with a brand on a regular basis, it creates a sense of familiarity and confidence which leads to an increased sense of ownership of the brand. This status of association that customers develop with the brand is an extension of their identity and makes them feel pumped, connected, proud and empowered. It allows them to be part of something greater than themselves, and to share experiences and opinions with other customers. It is this connection that transforms the brand from a mere commodity to a cherished identity; one that holds immense value in the eyes of its customers. A brand has the potential to give customers a sense of identity and purpose, fostering an emotional bond that is often Adamantium-level indestructible.
Benefit from the Benefits
Investing in branding for your business is one of the smartest decisions you can make. It’s an investment that will pay dividends in the long run. When done right, it can be incredibly beneficial for your business. So don't wait – now you’ve run out of gum, start developing your brand and kick some ass!
