The Importance of being Branded

-What is Branding and why is it important?

Branding is often misunderstood as simply your “visual identity” (name, logo, packaging, etc.), and while that is a component of it, it is only a piece of a much larger picture. Your brand is what distinguishes you from others in your industry. It is what will hopefully show your target audience why you are the safest and obvious choice when shopping around. A brand is more than a logo, it is an identity. Your brand is built to be a true representation of who you are as a business and how you want to be perceived.

A common mistake that business owners can make is assuming that branding is a one time task that doesn’t need to be revisited. Branding is perpetual. It is a constantly evolving process of identifying, cultivating, and managing what it is that you do to shape the perception of your brand in current and potential clients minds.

Meet Lisa Paden, small business owner in Wentzville, MO. Owner and Operator of The Personal Gift Basket Company

-What is YOUR brand Strategy?

“A good definition of a brand strategy is considered intent for the positive role a company wants to play in the lives of the people it serves and the communities around it.” -Neil Parker

Branding can change how people perceive your brand, it can drive new business, and increase brand value- OR it can do the opposite if done wrong or not at all. Having a good brand strategy in place ahead of time is the best practice to ensure that you are hitting the necessary marks throughout the process. The goal of brand strategy is to shape the perception of your audience in order to influence them. Effective brand strategies will have the following:

1.) Purpose -define the greater good behind your work and unify employees
2.) Vision- describe the direction and long term desired end-state
3.) Values- create culture and drive with principles that are actionable
4.) Positioning- find your differentiator and set your brand apart from competitors 5.) Personality- humanize your brand, connect with them on a personal level

6.) Tagline- tell the story of your brand and its spirit in the shortest way possible

Building a strong and effective brand always starts with a solid brand strategy. Good strategy combined with creativity is going to give your brand a fighting chance in our ever-evolving and highly competitive world of business and industry.

How do you develop and implement your brand strategy?

The good news is that there is no “one size fits all” template for developing your brand strategy. The collaborative effort of the six components above will define how your strategy is implemented. The nature of your business will dictate some of that, but if you are unsure where to start and how to maintain your existing branding efforts- find a professional. Hire a Branding &

Marketing consultant, discuss your brand visibility and content with a Graphic Designer, and hire a Photographer to capture your image as you want it perceived by your target audience. Remember- Its YOUR brand, YOUR identity, and YOUR future!