Are you thinking about rebranding your business?
Or perhaps you’re in the process of launching a new business and want to create a strong brand from the outset.
Whether you’re starting from scratch or giving your existing brand a facelift, it’s important to understand what branding is — and isn’t.
There are many misconceptions about branding, which can lead to confusion about what branding actually entails.
In this blog post, we’ll dispel some of the most common myths about branding and help you better understand how to create a strong and effective brand for your business.
But first, let’s define what branding is.
What is a brand?
When it comes to business, branding is often seen as a logo or tagline.
However, branding is so much more than that.
Your brand is the overall identity of your business, and encompasses everything from your mission and values to your visual identity and the way you communicate with your customers.
Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about branding, which can lead to confusion about what branding actually entails.
Myth #1: Branding is all about the logo
A lot of people think that branding is only about creating a cool logo or visual identity.
While it’s true that these elements are important, they are only a small part of what makes up a brand.
A strong brand is much more than just a pretty face — it’s the whole package, from the name and identity to the way the company communicates and the experience it provides.
For example, you don’t have to see the Starbucks logo to know that you’re passing by a Starbucks coffee shop.
Myth #2: Branding is only for big companies
Many small businesses believe that branding is something that only big corporations need to worry about.
But in today’s competitive marketplace, even the smallest businesses need to have a strong brand in order to succeed.
A well-defined brand can help a small business to stand out from the crowd and attract attention from potential customers.
Myth #3: Branding, marketing and advertising are the same
People tend to lump branding, marketing and advertising under the same umbrella, but they are all different.
As mentioned above, branding allows customers to recognize and distinguish your business from the crowd.
Marketing is your company’s specific strategy of selling your product or service such as through market research and advertising.
Advertising is promoting your company through channels such as social media, traditional media and digital ads.
In short, branding is how your customers experience and distinguish your company while marketing and advertising are what your company is doing to get your name and brand out to your audience.
Myth #4: Branding is all about marketing
Many people believe that branding is all about marketing — creating advertising campaigns and other promotional materials.
While marketing is certainly a important part of branding, it’s not the only thing.
Branding is also about creating a strong identity and developing relationships with customers.
It’s about creating an emotional connection that goes beyond just selling products or services.
Myth #5: Branding is static
Another common misconception about branding is that it’s a static process — once a brand is established, it doesn’t need to change.
But in reality, brands need to evolve over time to keep up with the changing needs of customers and the marketplace.
A successful brand is one that is constantly evolving and growing, keeping up with the times while still staying true to its core values.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the most common misconceptions about branding.
While branding is certainly important for businesses of all sizes, it’s not something that should be taken lightly.
Creating a strong brand requires careful planning and execution, but the effort can be well worth it in the end.
If you’re thinking about branding for your business, reach out to SALVé for solutions on taking your brand to the next level.
