Branding has become one of the most popular yet most highly misunderstood concepts in business. It seems like everyone is speaking about branding nowadays. But what do we understand about it? This blog post will deconstruct the truth about branding to enable entrepreneurs can use it to their advantage.
Let us first address the real meaning of branding. We must understand that branding is a verb, not a noun. It is something you do. It is not something you have. This is important because the meaning you hold influences how you approach the subject.
People have been referring to their visual assets as their branding (some designers should take some blame here). Therefore, branding has become confused and distorted.
Branding is about action. I define branding as
intentionally, actively, and continuously framing your business to influence your customers’ perception of it.
It means knowing what action to take. You learn this by understanding your business, yourself, and your audience.
I refer to this as your sweet spot. It is the intersection of your business goals, your customers’ needs, and your magic.
Let’s get into the truth about branding now.
TRUTH 1- You do not own your brand
You might be wondering why you are investing so much time and effort into something you cannot own. But hear me out. The first step to building a brand is understanding what a brand is.
Your brand is what your customers perceive your business to be. So, you do not own that. However, you can guide your audience to your desired perception. That is the reason why the overall experience is so important. Your brand is formed at every touchpoint. Branding is complex, so you cannot fall into the trap of focusing only on visual elements.
You need to know your ideal audience so intimately that you understand what will influence their perceptions. Start thinking about all factors that should influence your branding efforts. These factors may include product packaging, messaging and tone, online and offline experience, overall presentation, position, identity, image etc. It will be specific to your target customers.
TRUTH 2- Perceptions lead to expectations
Everything you do influences your audience’s perception of your business. These perceptions, in turn, control what they will expect from you. If you present your business as high-end, your buyers will expect a high-end experience. You cannot set an expectation beyond what the experience with your business is.
I am sure you would have noticed the luxury movement on Instagram. Before you look to tap into that, you need to understand what luxury means for your audience. Can you provide an experience that meets their needs at each touchpoint? You cannot just talk the luxury talk. You have to walk the luxury walk.
Similarly, if you have a transformative product or a high-value offering, but you communicate it poorly across your touchpoints, prospective buyers will not be motivated to experience it. The negative expectations will dissuade them from purchasing.
The key takeaway here is that there cannot be a disconnect between what you say your brand is and what your customers experience.
TRUTH 3- You are branding even when you are not branding
Remember, every time people interact with your business, they form a perception. Then they create expectations. That is what your brand is. Once you put your business out there, you are building a brand. Your brand is formed even if you do not think you need branding. Your brand is still developed even if you think branding is a frivolous concept,
It is best to be intentional about what you want to communicate with your audience. While it is true that you do not own your brand, you can surely take steps to ensure that your customers arrive at the perception of your business that you want. You can implement strategies to guide them to your desired perception. You can create an experience that envelopes them in your brand’s essence.
TRUTH 4- Copying your favourite entrepreneur is not a viable brand strategy
You build a brand based on your unique strengths and value. It considers your resources, audience motivations, and market forces. You cannot try to build a brand based on what you think someone else is doing because you will never fully know the strategy behind their success.
Instead, you need to figure out the secret ingredient that makes you unique. Hone into the brilliance that only you can bring to the table. Focus on how you can make a difference in your ideal clients’ lives. This is how you create your brand strategy.
Truth 5- A new brand identity is not the solution to your problems
Many entrepreneurs think they need to rebrand when they are not satisfied with their results. They usually mean getting a new brand identity.
A new brand identity is not going to help you if:
👉🏾 your business model is not profitable and sustainable.
👉🏾 you do not know who you are targeting.
👉🏾 you do not have a compelling offer.
👉🏾 you cannot differentiate your business from the competition.
👉🏾 you do not have a clear message.
Design without a strategy will not solve your business problems. Instead, you should develop a cohesive brand strategy to guide the development of your brand.
Truth 6- Branding is about people
Branding forms relationships. It is about belonging and identity. It helps us, as entrepreneurs, build communities. It allows us to connect with like-minded people who believe in our mission.
When you decide to build a brand, you create a belief system around the actual product or service. We use brands to identify with a tribe and differentiate ourselves from others. As an entrepreneur, your role is to let your customers know what it means to be part of your tribe.
So there you have it. You can now use the truth about branding to your advantage.
If you want to go a step further and learn how to master branding to attract your dream clients by implementing my framework for building strategic brands, then watch my free training.
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