Branding: Your company’s most valuable asset

Many will argue that the employees in your organization are more valuable than branding, but employees are not a fixed asset. A brand you build and invest in, as you do all other assets of a company, but unlike all other assets, a great brand will never depreciate. In fact, a brand, if managed correctly will appreciate year after year. Making it your most valuable asset which requires delicate management and respect.

Too many business leaders make the mistake of believing that branding is something for the marketing department only. In reality, branding encompasses every aspect of a company. From the attitudes of the complaints department to the letterheads used by each department, to the uniforms and grooming of the staff;, every aspect and action of a company are signalling and creating its brand. Branding is not just the verbal and visual expressions that are put out into the marketplace by a company. Everything that an organization does or doesn’t do has an impact on how its brand is perceived. Those leaders who do not recognize this and live it every day will be missing a great opportunity and inevitably doing their organizations a dis-service.

The line between marketing and branding can sometimes be obscure and difficult to identify as they are linked aspects of a critical corporate department. You could simply define branding as strategic and marketing as tactical. Branding is the fundamental building block for marketing. Marketing is the procedure which a company will follow to get their brand into the market place and in front of their target consumers. Both marketing and branding are critical to a company and it’s potential. It is possible for a strong brand can carry a weak marketing strategy but the opposite is more difficult.

Only recently has the belief changed from one where branding (and to a certain extent marketing) is fluffy and artistic to more of a structured skill. The importance of branding and the skills required to obtain the correct balance of analysis and design it requires has been recognised.

Like building a house you need a strong foundation to ensure the stability of future endeavours; so is a strong brand invaluable as your organization grows. Correctly defining your brand by investing in research and the building of your brand by employing the appropriate skills is critical to this stability.

Defining a brand can be a rather time consuming and uncomfortable process.

 

But the basic layout should encompass the answers to these questions.

– What is the mission of your organization?
– What benefits and unique selling points do your products or services offer?
– What is the current market opinion of your organization?

– What qualities do you want to be associated with your organization?

Simply Graphic works with the client to create the most effective brand to work symbiotically with your marketing strategy and yield the results your organization desires.

 

How to get the most out of your branding?

– Create a great logo and place it everywhere.
– Decide on the key messages your brand is to communicate and ensure every employee is aware and lives by the brand attributes and qualities.
– Integrate your brand into every aspect of your business so that your company lives and breathes the brand. From the why telephones are answered to the food in the canteen; everything should reflect your brand.
– Consider the language used by your company both in-house and to the public. Ensure it is the voice of your brand and conveys the same attitude and values as your brand.
– Create a slogan. Short and sweet.
– Design templates. By having very clear visual brand standards for the marketing material, you create and maintain consistency; very important to an effective brand.

Delivering on what you brand promises and being consistent is an essential part of maintaining and building the investment you have made in branding your company.

Branding is an analytical art form of which we at Simply Graphic have not only mastered but live and breathe. We pride ourselves on simple, classic and effective branding that can grow with your company. Our belief is that, just as a company is organic and changes as it grows, so should its brand. To ensure a parallel growth of both – a partnership of trust is essential. We at Simply graphic are dedicated to bringing to life the brand passionate entrepreneurs and seeing them through to established and trusted organizations.

Contact us and we will help guide you and your company to fabulous branding!