Branding to a business is like oxygen to a human. You don’t see it. You feel it. And you rely on it to survive. Without good branding, you are just another company on the horizon that has nothing new to say or deliver. We’re not short of offers these days. Usually, the demand is a lot less than the supply. That is why you must stand out from the crowd if you want to leave your mark on the world. If you want to be seen and be remembered, you need good branding. But what is branding?
Table of Contents
Branding Defined
Branding is the foundation upon which you build your company’s reputation. Your brand is the way people see you or your company. It is an expression of your value that remains in people’s minds – and hearts.
You Already Know What Branding Is
You already know what branding is anyway. How? Because you deal with brands all the time. When you want a good burger, you go the McDonald’s because you already know they do the best hamburgers. When you want a new cell phone or any technological device, you instantly choose Apple because you know they’re the best in the industry. When you want to contact friends or family, you log on to Facebook because you know it’s the easiest way to connect.
The examples are endless. Still, that doesn’t mean there’s a shortage of space for new brands to emerge. You don’t have to be the next Facebook, but no matter the difference in company notoriety, all businesses depend on the same ultimate foundation to survive and thrive: a solid brand.
Why Is Branding Important?
If you have a strong personal brand, you can sell anything. Ninety percent of people trust messages that come from a person they know. In other words, if you create a brand that gives people a good idea of what you’re about, prospects will trust you or your company.
- Branding generates trust
- Branding motivates employees
- Branding increases recognition
- Branding boosts revenue
- Branding brings overall purpose to yourself and your business
Branding is the weapon for success.
Why You’re Not Seeing The Success You’re Searching For
When you hear the word ”brand,” what comes to mind? Starbucks? Disney? Samsung? You are not alone. Everybody tends to think of the big brands when it comes to branding. While you’re not wrong, you don’t need to be another Starbucks to label yourself as a brand.
Many businesses make the mistake of overlooking their branding efforts because they think brands are the big fish with big budgets and international recognition. They fail to see themselves as a brand. The fact is, you are a brand. From the moment you start your business, you have the ability and the means to create an amazing brand that reflects everything you want your company to be.
Branding is important for businesses of all sizes. It helps increase your value, provides employees with direction, and makes acquiring customers so much easier.
Branding Isn’t Just For Businesses
You are your own brand. Whether or not you’re a business owner, you are still your own personal brand. And your brand is what you stand for.
For a long time, we’ve thought of brands in relationship to famous products and companies like Apple. Today, anything can be a brand. Especially since Instagram, even kids are leveraging their personal brands on various social media platforms. From posting creative snaps to making tutorials on YouTube, social media stars are stars for a reason. They are their own brand. They have created a powerful brand that resonates with viewers and as a result, they attract a large following.
People Are Googling You
Anytime you think personal branding is irrelevant to you, remember this: people are Googling you at every career stage in your life. When you apply to college, someone will Google you. When you apply for your first job, someone will Google you. From there, whatever future jobs you apply for the same applies: someone is searching you, your social media pages and whatever content they can find out about you online.
The pressure is on.
You want your first impression to be a good one, not a bad one. You want people to be impressed by what they discover. You want them to realize you are the ideal candidate for the job. And when you see things this way, you begin to see that, actually, personal branding is as relevant as it gets.
Examples Of People Who Are Their Own Brands
Many successful entrepreneurs have leveraged their personal brands in a bid to boost their deal flow.
Richard Branson is one of them. The man behind the leading travel empire, Virgin Group, is successful because of who he is. His playful personal brand and down-to-earth persona helped the Virgin brand extend across 200 companies. This is the guy who gave all his employees his personal phone number. Branson has built a brand of trust and friendliness and that’s where his deal flow comes from.
Another good example of a strong personal brand is Sheryl Sandberg. People perceived the tech industry as a man’s world until we were acquainted with the female COO of Facebook. But it was her book, Lean In, that really solidified her personal brand. That’s because it was a real conversation-starter and gave people a genuine glimpse into Sandberg’s life and mind.
Celebrities are also their own brands. Take Jessica Alba, for instance. Known originally as an actress, Alba is now the founder of The Honest Company. Like most parents, Alba was searching for natural and non-toxic household and childcare products. When she had to go to 50 different shops find them, she saw a gap in the market. A gap she would fill with her own company. Valued at $2 billion, it just goes to show that it was Alba’s personal story and brand that drove this company’s destiny.
People like stories. They like to relate and resonate and feel like you’re on the same page as them. So when you get entrepreneurs like Branson, Sandberg and Alba facing the same problems as us, it inspires trust. It makes you want to use their services.
How To Create Your Brand
We’ve now established the why behind branding. Now let’s look at the how of branding. Let us provide you with a good branding strategy.
The first step is establishing your mission and vision. Actually it’s the most important step. It’s the reason why you are doing what you are doing. Hopefully it’s also your passion and it’s what you want to do.
Answer these questions to gain a clearer idea of your vision.
- What values are most important to you?
- How do you want your company to reflect those values?
- What’s the story behind your business?
- What can you offer that other people cannot?
- Can people relate to you on a personal level – establish what that could be?
This is a great template for decision-making. In fact, it’s a good idea to write these questions and your answers down so that they can serve as a future reference whenever you need it. Inconsistency is the worst thing for a brand. If you want to build trust and customer confidence, your brand needs to be consistent. Your values, your stories, your goals – everything.
Invest In Professional Help
Your brand is what differentiates you from others. Whether you are an individual or a business, a strong brand is the foundation of your success.
Best Me Brand is dedicated to ensuring your are the best possible version of yourself. This way, you have the building blocks to your own success. With our copywriting services, we can help you with whatever you need to build and establish your brand. From content writing to website copy to resume writing, we can help you put what you want to say into words in the most influential way.
Find out more about our services or get in touch now if you have any questions about branding or our services.
