Branding is a marketing practice of creating a unique name, symbol or design which differentiates a product or a company from others. It means giving a meaning to specific organization, company, products or services by creating and shaping a brand in customer’s mind. Branding helps people to quickly identify and choose the good company or products in today’s competitive world.
Most people misunderstand the term “Branding” with the term “Logo”. However, “Logo” can be the symbol of a business but is not entirely a “Brand”. Firm’s name, logo, tagline, website, mission statements are not actually a brand. They are just one small step towards developing a strong brand identity which helps to communicate in your brand.
Steps for building a successful Branding:
1. Determine the target audience:
While building a brand, firstly you have to be clear about to whom you are giving your service. Identify your target audience and tailor your mission to meet their requirements in the best possible manner. After determining your target audience you can create campaigns as per the needs of your customers. You have to filter the audience on the basis of their age, interests and behavior. It helps decide what type of communication best delivers the message to the audience that you have targeted.
2. Define brand mission:
Define what is the mission of your brand or what your target audience can expect from you. Your vision and mission statement basically portray the purpose of your existence. You have to present a genuine image of what your company strives for. You need to clarify your company’s mission so that it sets a path of your communication. Everything from logo to your tagline, your communication should reflect your mission. Always keep in mind:
- Why have you started your business?
- What are your goals?
- Who is your target audience?
3. Research competition:
While building a brand, analyzing your competition is very important. Know your competitors and what they are offering to their customers. Try to make your business different from competitors in some way. Your brand should focus on that difference and should workout to make your product better than others.
To stay on top of the competitors you have to twist your branding process with an exclusive communication strategy.
4. Create value propositions:
In today’s competitive market, creating a brand is not so easy. So we have to focus on making our brand unique and valuable. You have to know your value propositions that makes your business apart from your competition
. Convincing the customers through the communication that you stand out from the market is very important. Include your value propositions in every marketing communication you are applying across channels. It is one of the important steps in building a successful brand.
5. Determine brand guidelines:
Brand guidelines simply include the sets specific rules on how the business should interact with the audience. You have to develop your brand as it sets a definite pattern of your visual elements such as logo , templates etc. It helps you to maintain consistency across channels and make your business more recognizable.
6. Market your brand:
Marketing your brand plays a vital role in making your brand successful. For this, you have to make definite marketing strategies. Apply your branding in each communication you are planning, from packaging to stationary, website to marketing collateral. Display your brand in as many places as possible and choose new channels such as email, web and affiliates to promote your brand.
What does branding tools include?
For any successful branding, many marketing and branding tools are used , such as:
Audio Branding:
Audio branding is one of the branding tools that includes a recognizable sound attached to any business/ company’s name. It helps people to know a brand just by listening to a sound without even seeing it.
Video Branding:
Video branding is a widely used tool of branding as it allows the brand to express its objective in the most precise manner. It comprises audio as well as visual content, which enables more reception in the minds of customers. Television advertisements and web ads are the part of video branding.
Visual Branding:
Visual branding includes logo design, poster designs, pamphlets etc which helps the brand to enable customers to identify it. It is the first thing that catches the eye of the clients. So, it is in the brand’s best interest to have the best first impression so that customers can identify the brand by looking at the logo design or color used.
Content Marketing:
Content marketing is used to express its objectives; from textual content to video content and audio content to video content. If directed properly, it can be used to increase sales and establish the brand globally as content is everything that you see or hear about the brand.
Word of mouth:
Your brand is said to be established when other people are talking about it positively. Word of mouth promotion is considered to be one of the best and most useful forms of branding because it is more credible and the content goes viral on its own. It costs a negligible amount of money but can result in millions of dollars in sales.
Branding Package
Branding package may includes:
- Personalized logo
- Business cards
- Letterhead
- Flyers
- Folded brochures
- Email templates
- Convention displays
Brand Standard Documents:
Brand standard documents are the documents which explain how the elements of your logo package speak for your company in a clear and meaningful way. It includes the standards for:
- The different elements of your logo and how they should be used.
- Typography (what fonts your logo uses, how and where they are used).
- What color palette your logo uses and what parts of the logo those colors are used for.
- Any legal requirements for using logo