It’s probably accurate to say that most business owners think of their brand as the graphical representation or logo that symbolizes their company. In truth, though, the logo is just one element of branding, with brand strategy and architecture also contributing heavily to the overall company’s projection. Your brand should be a promise to your audience, a promise of value, trust and loyalty, and a whole lot of other qualities that are simply linked to that logo. Do you really need to establish architecture and brand strategy as part of your overall company branding? Absolutely – and here’s why.
A strong brand strategy consists of:
Who you are
Your brand goes far beyond being a flashy logo, or a powerful image that projects strength and confidence. Your brand should convey to an audience exactly who you are and what you’re all about as a business entity. There needs to be a strong correlation between that logo and the qualities which legitimately define your company to the world, otherwise it lacks meaning and legitimacy. It’s not enough to have a charismatic image of your company – you have to actually BE that image, or the logo itself means nothing. A good brand strategy will market that you are that image.
First impressions
The saying goes that you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. That may be true, but in the business world, your company will get a second and a third, and many more chances to make a good impression on your audience of followers. If you have a solid marketing strategy, along with branding architecture to support it, your company will have almost continuous opportunities to impress your target audience with favorable points. You need to make sure those chances count for an impact.
Influencing perception
You certainly can’t control how the public perceives your company, but – you can definitely influence it. And that’s where strategy and marketing come into play to support your branding. Every point of contact, every touch that occurs between users and the visible components of your strategy is a chance for you to positively influence them about your company. That means it’s a chance to earn trust, to deliver value, to establish relationships and to solidify loyalty.
Sharing your story
If there’s one thing that moves followers more than any other, it’s hearing your company story, especially if it’s presented in an engaging and powerful manner. Storytelling literally has the power to motivate people to take action, because it reaches into the emotions and forges a bond between listener and teller, and for at least a moment, transcends the whole business aspect. Your brand should be a representation of a compelling story about your company, because the story is something that will stick with the listener, and will be recalled every time the logo reappears. It may even be the one thing a potential customer remembers most vividly about your company.
If it’s time to focus on a powerful brand, using best practices, then contact Linda Fanaras, President/Strategist of Millennium Integrated Marketing www.mill-im.com. You’ll find her contact information below.
