Business branding is about creating a comprehensive message for your company and product or service, using names, logos, slogans, copy and other collateral.
Branding is actively creating the perception you hope consumers have as they come into contact with, and experience your company, product or service.
Branding is a way of identifying your business. It is how your customers recognise and experience your business.
A strong Business Branding is more than just a logo, it’s reflected in everything from your customer service style, staff uniforms, business cards and premises to your marketing materials and advertising.
Phases In Business Branding
The three core phases in Business branding includes:
- Business Strategy Branding
- Business Identity Branding
- Business Marketing Branding
1. Business Strategy Branding
Business Strategy Branding is a plan that focuses on the long-term development of your purpose and impact.
Your Business Strategy Branding will map out how you are different, trustworthy, memorable, and likable by your ideal customer. It will convey your purpose, promises, and how you solve problems for people.
You can think of Business Strategy Branding as the blueprint for how you want the world to see your business.
Business Strategy Branding is a critical and foundational piece for building a successful brand. It’s one of the areas that most businesses overlook, because they jump right into the design and marketing.
2. Business Identity Branding
Business Identity Branding is the way that you convey this to the public with visuals, messaging, and experience.
Your Business Identity Branding should be applied across all channels consistently. It is the way that your business becomes recognizable. This includes your logo, colors and fonts, website design, content, advertising, print or packaging, and more.
3. Business Marketing Branding
Business Marketing Branding is the way that businesses or organizations highlight and bring awareness to products or services by connecting values and voice to the right audience through strategic communication.
If you are looking for how to create a business brand that people love, follow this guide for the do’s and don’ts of small business branding strategies.
Why Business Marketing Branding is Essential
Marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of your ideas, goods or services to satisfy the needs of individual consumers or organisations.
Every business needs to successfully market their products and services. Marketing is a critical tool for establishing awareness, attracting new customers and building lasting relationships. When done effectively, marketing can help you increase sales and establish your competitive advantage.
Today’s customers are spoilt for choice. Marketing uses communication and advertising tactics to persuade customers that your brand, including your products and services, are exactly what they need. Even though you are marketing your brand, every aspect of your marketing strategy should focus on satisfying the current and future needs of your customers.
Your approach to marketing will inform your sales techniques, so communication and collaboration within your team is critical, and everyone in your organization should have some ownership of your marketing campaigns.
Marketing is a crucial aspect of your business and requires research, time, planning, and appropriate budget allocations. This guide will help you understand the basics of marketing.
Marketing Tactics In Business Branding
These are the different marketing tactics in branding to meet your customers’ needs:
1. Product
Product refers to what you are selling, including all of the features, advantages and benefits that your customers can enjoy from buying your goods or services.
When marketing your product, you need to think about the key features and benefits your customers want or need, including (but not limited to) styling, quality, repairs, and accessories.
2. Price
This refers to your pricing strategy for your products and services and how it will affect your customers. You should identify how much your customers are prepared to pay, how much mark-up you need to cater for overheads, your profit margins and payment methods, and other costs.
To attract customers and retain your competitive advantage, you may also wish to consider the possibility of discounts and seasonal pricing.
3. Promotion
These are the promotional activities you use to make your customers aware of your products and services, including advertising, sales tactics, promotions and direct marketing. Generally these are referred to as marketing tactics.
4. Place
Place is where your products and services are seen, made, sold or distributed. Access for customers to your products is key and it is important to ensure that customers can find you.
You can set yourself apart from your competition through the design of your retail space and by using effective visual merchandising techniques.
If you are not a retail business, place is still an important part of your marketing. Your customers may need a quick delivery turnaround, or want to buy locally manufactured products.
5. People
People refer to the staff and salespeople who work for your business, including yourself.
When you provide excellent customer service, you create a positive experience for your customers, and in doing so market your brand to them. In turn, existing customers may spread the word about your excellent service and you can win referrals.
Give your business a competitive advantage by recruiting the right people, training your staff to develop their skills, and retaining good staff.
6. Process
Process refers to the processes involved in delivering your products and services to the customer. It is also about being ‘easy to do business with’.
Having good process in place ensures that you:
- repeatedly deliver the same standard of service to your customers
- save time and money by increasing efficiency.
7. Physical evidence
Physical evidence refers to everything your customers see when interacting with your business. This includes:
- the physical environment where you provide the product or service
- the layout or interior design
- your packaging
- your branding.
Physical evidence can also refer to your staff and how they dress and act.
