Happy March! I can’t believe we are already in the third month of the year. Where has the time gone? I’ve decided March is going to be BRAND month for this blog and my LinkedIn newsletter. This makes me very happy because it is one of my favorite topics. I’ve got lots of ideas, tips, tricks and insights to share. So buckle up!
It’s Not a Logo!
I thought I would start Brand Month off by talking about the definition of brand. Many people (including, sadly, CEOs and other business leaders who should know better) think a brand is a logo. That’s it. Just a logo. The apple with the bite out of it is Apple’s brand and the swoosh is Nike’s brand. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! I’ll say it again for those in the back, NOOOOOO!
It’s Your DNA
Sorry, pet peeve. A logo is a part of a brand, but it is not the whole brand. There is so much more to it. A brand is a feeling, an emotion, a perception, a truth. A brand is reflected in how people experience your product or services, talk about you in conversation, and read your social media posts and emails. Your brand is present in your business mission, vision, values, purpose, USPs, product mix, and visual marketing and messaging. Your target audience should always positively respond to your brand. In short, your brand is your reputation and your DNA.
In short, a brand is a complete 360-degree picture of a business. It is REFLECTED in a logo, but it is so much more than that.
The Best Brands…
The best brands become a consistent, positive, and relevant part of their customers’ lives. Because a brand can get wrapped up in a person’s feelings, it’s easy to see how attached consumers can get to a particular brand. We all have products and services we can’t live without. It might be Starbucks coffee or an iPhone. It might be a certain hair stylist or a university. Those brands that become an integral part of your life over your lifetime. That is successful branding.
What About Marketing?
Good question. You can use marketing to promote a brand, but as I said above, marketing it not the only place in your business where your brand should live. A brand should be apparent in every product sold, in every brick and mortar location, in every company policy, in every procedure manual, in hiring practices, and in every internal and external message. A brand must exist in every corner of a business. Marketing is simply how you communicate your brand to your target audience.
Why Is Brand Important?
Brand plays a significant role in any business. A company’s presence, identity, and impact are impossible without a consistent and recognizable brand. The process of building a brand can take years, even decades. Monitoring consumer sentiment, responding to trends and economic conditions, and updating elements of a brand must be consistent. Negative PR and consumer reactions to out-of-touch branding have killed plenty of brands in a manner of days and weeks. Brand building never ends. A brand must be nurtured and safeguarded at all times. A brand is a company’s most important asset.
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