Six reasons why branding makes a difference to marketing
A lot of clients have asked me the question ‘Why is branding important?’
So, this month, I thought I would explain more by highlighting six reasons why branding can make a difference to your marketing efforts.
I have talked before about how important it is for brands to build trust.
It takes time, but when customers feel they know and trust your brand, they will express that confidence by buying your products and services – again and again!
So, Why is branding important?
Branding is an important element of your marketing because it gives your target audience something they can relate to above the product or service they are buying.
It gives your brand a unique identity and individual personality.
1. Customer recognition
Brand messaging:
You need to tell customers about your brand so they can easily identify it and all that it stands for.
The emotional ‘pull’ of showing them that your brand cares will encourage trust in your brand.
Therefore, your brand messaging should:
- Convey what makes your brand different
- Establish why customers should choose your brand and not your competitors’
- Demonstrate an understanding of your target audience’s needs and pain points
- Resonate with your customers
And finally, something that I shout about all the time: Consistency!
I cannot emphasise enough the importance of consistent messaging across all channels.
This reinforces your brand’s identity and authenticity, making it easy for your customers to recognise and remember it.
Brand identity:
An essential part of branding is to have a strong brand identity:
- Visuals – logo, colours, font/typography, imagery, website etc.
- Values – what the brand stands for and what customers can expect from it
- Personality – tone of voice, position in the market, brand culture
- Differentiation – uniqueness, authenticity
A strong and cohesive brand identity highlights professionalism and reliability, building a bond with your customers and allowing them to immediately recognise your brand.
2. Competitive advantage
I highlighted consistent messaging and the importance of a strong brand identity in differentiating your brand from your competitors,’ in reason 1.
But there are other ways that branding can be effective in lifting your brand above the competition and cultivating loyal customers.
Emotional connection:
It is important to understand that building an emotional connection with your target audience can create a bond that is much stronger than price or product features, making them less likely to base purchasing decisions on these criteria.
This differentiates your brand from all the others in the marketplace, providing a competitive advantage.
Customer experience (CX):
I am sure you will have heard the phrase ‘customer experience,’ but is it just a fancy phrase for customer service?
Well, no, it’s much more than that.
The customer experience encompasses all touchpoints of your brand:
- Customer service
- Personalised interactions – web, phone, social media, direct mail, shops
- Memorable experiences when buying, trying, visiting shops, visiting the website
By delivering exceptional customer experiences, you can differentiate your brand from those offering similar products or services that don’t offer the same level of customer satisfaction.
Innovation:
Establishing your brand as forward thinking and dynamic, can set your brand apart from competitors and differentiate your brand as a leader rather than a follower.
Think of Apple!
Brand reputation:
Branding helps to establish a positive reputation based on trust, quality, authenticity, integrity, and reliability.
Your brand reputation sets you apart from others that may have negative reputations or perceptions among prospective and existing customers.
3. Customer loyalty
I delved into the subject of brand loyalty in an earlier blog called ‘How to build brand loyalty’, but I will recap on the essential aspects here.
Customer loyalty is based on their beliefs and perceptions of your brand.
If they:
- Share your brand values
- Identify with your brand messaging
- Believe they are getting more than they pay for
- Feel that your brand consistently exceeds their expectations
They will commit to your brand.
Their commitment and loyalty to your products provide many benefits including:
- Competitive advantage
- Constant revenue stream
- Brand advocates
- Word of mouth marketing channel
- Maximised revenue
If you would like to find out more about customer loyalty, why not book a brew with us to discuss creating a brand strategy?
Customer retention
Branding helps to foster a sense of community and belonging.
Customers are less likely to be swayed by advertising or offers from competitors because of their emotional connection and their trust in your brand.
As customers become brand advocates, you will benefit from higher customer retention rates.
Brand loyalty programmes are effective in boosting customer retention.
Rewarding customers for their participation in social media events and making repeat purchases via special offers and perks adds to their sense of belonging and feeling appreciated.
Building trust within the marketplace
The points above demonstrate the benefits of branding in your marketing activities to your target audience.
Customer reviews, case studies and testimonials provide social proof of your brand’s authenticity, credibility and trustworthiness and can influence the purchasing decisions of new and potential customers.
Furthermore, providing valuable and authentic content establishes an authority or thought leader, establishing a reputation as a source of trustworthy insights, information and education.
A strong brand attracts trust in the wider marketplace by establishing authority and credibility.
Brand equity
Aren’t brand trust and brand equity the same thing, I hear you ask?
According to the article in Forbes, they are interconnected, as building and maintaining brand trust will lead to brand equity.
Brand trust is about customer confidence and is based on more than products or services:
- How the brand treats its employees
- The customer experience
- Charitable and philanthropic activities
- Commitment to environmental best practice
- Online security and protection of customer data
- Crisis management
Brand equity encompasses all the intangible assets associated with a brand that build up over time such as perception, loyalty, positive attributes, and brand awareness.
It shows the value of a strong brand, how it influences consumer behaviour and their purchasing decisions, and the effect this has on the financial performance of the brand in the marketplace.
Why is branding important – in summary
These six reasons show the importance and effectiveness of branding in a marketing strategy.
Why is branding important?
Because it provides the foundation of brand values, brand identity and brand messaging upon which you can build marketing campaigns.
Building a brand involves generating trust in customers and the marketplace to build positive perceptions and influence buying decisions.
By prioritising branding in your marketing activities, you can strengthen the relationship between your brand and your customers, increasing brand value as it grows.
I hope that this blog has answered the question ‘why is branding important’ – remember that the kettle is always on at Make a Brew for a chat about all things branding! So, if you would like to talk to us about branding and how you can build a brand strategy to make your marketing campaigns more effective, email the Make a Brew team or book a brew here.
