Do you ever feel like you are a part of a community when buying certain products? Do you ever feel smarter, kinder, healthier, and more efficient when purchasing from a particular company? That sensation is what brand experience is all about. And those induced emotions could bring your company a lot of money.

Branding is the process of attaching specific meanings to companies, organizations, or their products and services. Those meanings later contribute to the perception of the brand in the consumer’s minds and determine their spending habits.

When entering the market, it’s not enough to say who you are – every little detail about your business should radiate the message: your tone when replying to clients’ emails, social media texts, visuals, packaging, or ads. And all of it originates from branding.

Branding is not just a logo, it’s a feeling

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, once said: “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room”. Experts say that fast and free shipping to your doorstep is one of the most loved things about Amazon. Being able to find various items on one website and rely on honest user reviews definitely contributes to the impression of a large, successful, and customer-oriented business.

In theory, branding allows business owners to describe their business and translate it for the target audience to accept it, yet in reality, the characteristics that you want your business to resemble should be in line with the actual values that your business promotes. For example, you cannot advertise yourself as modern and cutting-edge if your website is nonexistent.

It all starts with having a business strategy upon which the brand strategy is built. Like every house needs a foundation, the foundation of the branding strategy lies in the plan of implementations that covers position in the market, competitors, objectives, and future plans. Having a clear idea of who you are, what can you offer to the consumers and what direction you want to move forward is a key part of both business and brand strategy. Only then comes visual identity with its brand book, design systems, and other elements.

So, why branding is essential in today’s business agenda? Here are 3 reasons:

1. Brand positioning

It is fairly easy to make up what your brand represents, but in reality, customer experiences and competitors can alter that strived image.

Many of you might remember the 2013’s Pepsi Halloween ad, where a can of Pepsi wears a red cape, dressing up as a Coca-Cola. A cheeky example of marketing conveyed that being a fan of Coca-Cola is scary or that one might purchase the said soda just because of its popularity while striving for Pepsi in his heart. And while the ad was successful and engaged a big part of soda drinkers, because of the exceptional Coca-Cola branding, it did not influence its image in the minds of the consumers. Branding helps to communicate the strengths of the brand, positions it in the market, and builds its resilience to external forces.

2. Emotional connection with a customer

The story with Pepsi and Coca-Cola continues: a fan of the latter created a poster where the same image was used, yet with a different caption. “Everybody wants to be a hero” turned the conversation in another direction, suggesting that Pepsi is a fan of Coca-Cola and yearns to be it. And it was all because of someone loving the brand so much that they felt motivated to create a clap-back.

Such a strong emotional connection with the customer is created through the steady tone of voice, used not only in ads and social media presence but communicating with clients, through integral visual identity, and ultimately – branding. That connection might translate into higher sales, a positive perception of the brand, and loyal customers.

3. Customer journey

Branding helps to foresee the customer’s journey from start to finish to ensure it is the most satisfying. Knowing your business in and out and having a clear view of the value of your brand to customers contributes to being aware of probable paths that will lead them to it. Branding manages the expectations of the customers for the experience they will have with your business and helps later adjust it to the encounter you want them to have. Having that option makes you a path-maker, and your customer a path-taker.

There are lot more reasons for your brand to start its branding journey or update its parts to fit the desired image. And although it is a fun playground for experimentation, there are a lot of laws, not only to be truthful and paint your business not far from it but other, unspoken rules that professionals are aware of. They can help your customers distinguish your brand from the competitors, appreciate your business, and even love it.

Let’s meet up, and we'll help you apply those rules to achieve the best results.