What is Your Brand? The Answer Might Surprise You…

Quite a few people and companies might suppose that their “brand” is their logo, their advertising. However experts in the field caution that your brand is “not an identity system,” and while logos and advertising certainly distinguish the brand, the brand is more – it is the “connection you establish with your customers and those whom you would like to become customers;” or, as Jeff Bezos explained it, “Your brand is what people say about you after you leave the room” (Curran, 2018).

Your brand is not the sole extent of your logo and advertising. While you can post and generate Internet and social media content that ultimately supports your brand, the only way you will truly know whether you are successfully building and achieving the brand you want is to take a look at what your customers, and potential customers, think, say, and write about you. And subsequently, whether you are able to build and increase their engagement, their connection to your company.

While it is evident that building or improving a brand entails much more than a logo or posting across social media, then what else is needed to make a successful brand?

Experts advocate to “start by working consciously on the three pillars that constitute what your brand stands for: Brand values, brand voice, visual identity” (Curran, 2018). Brand values allow you to effectively communicate “who you are,” setting yourself apart from the noise and in fact, some companies, such as Nike even use their brand values to direct their mission, vision, and direction as a company (Curran, 2018). The brand voice provides a consistent message and expression of your brand, and its tone must remain constant. This aspect is important because the brand voice carries over to “every single touchpoint of your business” so that the customer, in any interaction, will experience the same company in each engagement (Curran, 2018). The visual identity through “look and feel should reinforce your brand values” to the extent that it is “carried through the customer’s end-to-end journey” (Curran, 2018).

Ultimately, while you want to use consumer interaction to create a sales funnel, the objective of this form of brand development and marketing is long-term, and its longevity is dependent upon the ability to establish a true connection with customers. For this reason, it is imperative that your brand values, voice, and visual identity remain consistent across employees, departments, management, and company leadership. How does this directly contribute to building a customer base and increasing sales? Eventually, people will come to know who you are and “begin to identify you with a specific area of understanding or expertise” and then, you will truly become the “go-to person in you niche or industry” (Smale, 2015). With an authentic voice, identity, and values that your customers can engage and connect with, your brand can become an invaluable asset.

References

Curran, S. (2018). So You Want to Build a Brand? Here’s What You Need to Understand. Intercom. Retrieved from https://blog.intercom.com/so-you-want-to-build-a-brand/?utm_medium=paid-syndication&utm_source=mozilla&utm_campaign=blog-promo&utm_content=blog

Smale, T. (2015). 5 Steps to Build Your Personal Brand. Entrepreneur. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/299671