Not sure how to get started with building your business or personal brand? We’ve got you covered with all the basics for branding. Make sure to grab a cup of coffee for this read as we introduce you to the world of branding with ….
What is branding?
Branding is the process that helps to distinguish a company’s product or service from others in the market. This includes a variety of elements such as a name, slogan, design, logo or symbol, the way the product is packaged or a combination of these elements to help differentiate
Let’s take coffee as an example. Different coffee brands, such as Starbucks, Nespresso, Folgers or Maxwell House give a different meaning to the coffee brew:
- Starbucks makes you feel social and trendy
- Nespresso is beautiful, sophisticated and premium
- Folgers are classic, reliable and comfortable
- Maxwell House is rich, convenient, satisfying …and more.
A brand influences how consumers feel and think about a product or service from a company. For example, a brand name, visual identity, or message can provide functional (e.g., “This coffee is delicious”) and emotional (e.g. “coffee makes me energetic”) associations for consumers when they think about things , certain services, or activities from… company.
Companies can copy products, but a brand is something that other competitors in the market cannot easily imitate.
Stages of brand development
Branding involves a few stages where the goal and the kind of tools you would use at each stage varies. Here’s a quick overview of the various steps involved in the brand building journey. (1)
1. Self analysis
Choose what is unique about your product or how you want to provide a service. What image do you want people to have of your brand? Analyze your current situation, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
2. Industry analysis
Audience research:
This is where I research and understand my target audience, their preferences, behaviors, motivations, pain points, and expectations. I also create buyer personas, which are fictional representations of ideal customers. I use various methods to collect data from the audience, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, online reviews, social media analytics, etc.
Competitor research:
This is where I research and understand my target audience, their preferences, behaviors, motivations, pain points, and expectations. I also create buyer personas, which are fictional representations of ideal customers. I use various methods to collect data from the audience, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, online reviews, social media analytics, etc.
3. Brand positioning
This is where you define your brand identity, vision, mission, values, personality, tone of voice, and story. You need to craft a brand name, logo, slogan, color scheme, typography, and other visual elements that represent the brand visually.
Create a brand positioning statement that summarizes what the brand stands for, who it serves, how it differs from others, and why it matters.
4. Creative and messaging development
This is where you create and test various marketing materials (called creatives) and campaigns that communicate the brand’s message and value to the audience.
Brands use different channels and formats to reach the audience effectively, such as websites, social media platforms, blogs, videos, podcasts, newsletters, flyers, brochures, etc. You also need to ensure that the brand’s voice and style are consistent across all touchpoints.
5. Implementation
This is where you launch and execute the branding strategy in the market. You need to monitor and measure the performance and impact of your branding efforts using various metrics and tools such as web analytics, social media analytics, customer feedback, sales data, etc. You should also train your team to align with the brand’s values and standards.
6. Maintain and measure
This is where you evaluate and improve the branding strategy over time. Review your branding goals and objectives regularly and adjust them according to changing market conditions and customer expectations. Also update branding elements and materials as needed to keep them fresh and relevant and seek feedback from customers and stakeholders to ensure that the brand meets their needs and satisfaction.
10 Key branding terms to know
Here are some common branding concepts that you should know that’ll help you in your brand building journey: (1)
Brand Recognition
Brand recognition is the ability of consumers to recognize and remember a brand name or logo. It is influenced by factors such as frequency, consistency and uniqueness of a customer’s exposure to the brand. It helps brand awareness and familiarity.
Brand Awareness
Brand Awareness is where a consumer recognizes and remembers a brand’s name or logo. It is influenced by factors such as frequency, consistency and uniqueness of a customer’s exposure to the brand. It helps increase brand awareness and visibility in the marketplace by making the brand accessible and targeted to potential customers
Brand Guidelines
Brand guidelines are a set of standards and rules that define how a brand should be represented in different media and contexts. They include specific elements such as the use of logos, color schemes, text, graphics, voice, etc. A brand guideline helps ensure consistency and quality in branding
Brand Storytelling
A brand story is a statement of a brand’s essence and personality. It includes stories about the brand’s history, vision, values and customers that evoke emotion and connection. This helps build trust and loyalty with the audience.
Brand Equity
Brand equity is the value of a brand in the market. It is based on factors such as awareness, recognition, reputation and loyalty that a brand generates among its customers. It helps increase profitability and sustainability of the brand.
Brand Strategy
Brand strategy is the planning and actions a brand takes to achieve its goals. It describes the brand’s target market, value proposition, competitive advantage and growth opportunities. This helps guide a brand’s direction and growth.
Brand Personality
Brand personality is the human characteristics and attributes associated with a brand. It includes elements such as attitude, style, humor, emotion and others that reflect the essence and values of the brand. This helps to connect and relate with customers so that they know who they are dealing with.
Brand Management
Brand management is the management and control of the activities and products affected by the brand. This includes tasks such as brand strategy, identity, positioning, storytelling, communication and experience design, implementation, monitoring and analytics. It helps ensure that a brand delivers on its goals and promises.
Brand Voice
Brand voice is the tone and language a brand uses to communicate with its audience. This includes aspects such as word choice, sentence structure, grammar and grammar that reflect the brand’s identity and values. It helps create a consistent and distinctive identity for a brand that resonates with its customers and reflects its identity.
Brand Perception
Brand perception is a consumer’s perception of a brand based on their experience and exposure to it. Factors such as quality, functionality, price and reputation affect the product or service offered by a brand. Brand thinking helps determine consumer preferences
Brand Engagement
A brand engagement is the interaction and involvement that a customer has with a brand at different levels and stages. It includes aspects such as awareness, interest, consideration, purchase, usage, feedback, etc. that affect the customer’s perception and behavior towards the brand. A brand engagement helps to create a positive and meaningful experience for the customer that enhances their satisfaction and loyalty for the brand.
Growing your brand
An important part of identifying a good brand is having a good understanding of the types of media thats the brand typically uses for marketing and promotions. The ideal way to focus can vary because it depends on your brand and target audience. We list the marketing channels below:
Website
This channel involves using your website as a platform to showcase your products, generate leads and convert visitors. You can use different development techniques on your website, e.g.
- SEO: This channel helps to optimize your website for search engines, so that users can find you for relevant keywords.
- Content marketing: This approach helps you create and distribute valuable and engaging content, such as blogs, videos, podcasts, ebooks, etc., that engage and educate your audience.
- Email marketing: This strategy helps you build and maintain relationships with your customers by sending relevant and timely emails that deliver value and drive action.
Social media
This strategy involves using different social media platforms to engage with your audience, increase your brand awareness, and drive traffic to your website or app, such as Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more etc. You can use various promotion techniques on social media, e.g.
- Performance marketing: This approach helps you create and run paid ads on social media platforms, targeting users based on their interests, behaviors and demographics.
- Virality: This method helps you create a product or products that encourage users to share with their friends and followers on social media platforms.
- Influencer marketing: This channel helps you collaborate with influential people on social media platforms, who can endorse your product or content to their large and loyal audience.
Direct communication
This term refers to the process of communicating directly with potential customers through phone, email, or social media messages. This method is often used to generate referrals and conversions through the sales channel.
Media coverage
This term refers to the medium through which information about your product or brand is received and believed through media, such as newspapers, TV shows, podcasts, etc. This medium is often used for delivery brand awareness and reputation increase through PR strategies
Live interaction
This term refers to the format of events or sharing such as webinars, workshops, conferences, seminars, etc., where you can present your products or brand to the right audience and engage them This way event channels are often used to build relationships and trust with your audience.
Up next…
Now that you have an idea about what branding is and the various steps involved, make sure to check out our complete range of branding guides to help you in your brand building journey.