Written by Andrew Holliday | June 3, 2016
Why do people flock to Starbucks, put Apple stickers on their car or pay thousands to hear Tony Robbins? It’s not luck. It’s not just a great product. All of these examples have carefully crafted a brand that stands for something, and it pays off for them every single day.
Branding isn’t just for big companies either. In fact, how do you think these companies became big in the first place?
You can build a brand with meaning for your business. I’m willing to bet it will be one of the best investments of time you ever make. Stop making the excuse that you don’t have the time or the money.
Obviously having a branding firm like us to lead you through the process helps significantly, but you can start on your own. I’ll share insights into our process and give you the building blocks to get started.
The first thing to realize is what a brand is. Your brand isn’t your logo. A brand isn’t a business card, sign or the other visual identity pieces.
A brand is a perception. How do your clients, vendors and employees view your company? The answer to this question reveals your brand.
Now that you understand this our definition of branding will make sense.
Branding is the process of intentionally shaping the perception of a business, product, person or event.
All of the visual identity pieces like your logo, business cards, signage, etc…play an incredibly important role. These aspects are the face of your business. Your visual identity is how people will associate your reputation/perception with your business.
A consistently well executed visual identity can help shape perception, but it is only complementary to having a communication strategy that positions you for shaping the perception you wish with everyone who comes into contact with your business. A beautiful visual identity alone is hollow without a strong communication strategy.
In part 2 I’ll take you through the six steps to follow. Sign up for post alerts right there in the right column to make sure you don’t miss the goods coming in part 2.
