What the **** is branding?

Branding sucks. It’s my business, so I believe in it passionately, but I’m always describing what it is, and why it’s important to clients, contacts, friends and family. And they still don’t quite get it! So I thought I might try to nail it down a little more here, so I can send everyone this link and finally lay that particular line of questioning to rest (big chance, right?).

Is it marketing, is it a logo, is it the press coverage you get, is the strapline and the messages you send out? Is it a combination of all or some of these? Well not really.

BRANDING IS MAKING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT MAKES YOU YOU*. That’s why it’s  tricky. *by ‘you’ I mean a professional, company or business.

YOUR BRAND IS WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK ABOUT YOU, NOT WHATYOU THINK ABOUT YOURSELF. So if clients, customers have no shared opinion about your company, products and services, you don’t have a brand, you have a collection of marketing activity.

The biggest companies in the world (Apple, IBM, Xerox etc) have at least 25% (often 50%+) of their ‘value’ in their brand – the shared perception that they have qualities other companies do not. This enables them to sell more product, lead their industries, gain more credibility, and be faster to create and dominate new market niches.

• you have to listen to what your customers are saying about you (and respect what they say!)
• you have to be consistent in what you say
• you have to know what you want to say, and be clear about it
• your communications have to be effective, clear and professional to have credibility and be memorable

In addition, the landscape of branding has changed rapidly over the last few years, and the pace is picking up – the channels of communication have multiplied rapidly with the advent of social media, and the democratic nature of the web itself has allowed – even encouraged – many more niche ‘pockets’ of interest groups to spring up across traditional national and cultural divisions.

For smaller businesses, they have to prioritise and choose the channels through which they communicate and interact with their customers, to create the more effective and accurate ‘brand’ in the minds of their most valuable customers and potential customers.

For bigger businesses, it is difficult to neglect different channels without missing opportunities, but at the same time more difficult to engage genuinely with smaller interest groups without ‘talking down’ or selling to them.

So when you are thinking about your business – think about your customers first, or even better, ask them directly! Find out where they are most active and focus your resources there. Clearly define who you are and be genuinely engaging and rewarding to interact with, and you will have the biggest chance of success.