It is not uncommon for people to get confused by what marketing is versus what branding is. Are they not both just another word for advertising? Let’s review each so you better understand the importance of each aspect.
Marketing is defined as the set of tools, processes, and strategies you use to actively promote your product, service, and company. (per 99Designs). Think of marketing as the actions you take to connect with your customers and get them to buy your products or services. Marketing is a crucial part of a healthy running business.
Branding, on the other hand, is the marketing practice of actively shaping your brand. Branding is about defining who you are as a company. It’s your mission, your values, and what makes you special and unique. It’s your key brand elements, like your logo, your website, and your brand style guidelines. If marketing is what gets people to engage with your company for the first time, branding is what keeps them coming back for years to come.
It is important to remember that as a new company you have the right to choose your branding. You get to choose your colors, fonts, logo, values, mission, and so much more. It is important when setting brand guidelines to get it right so you can carry that brand on for years to come.
Branding Benefits
Trust
Higher price
Associate with quality
Lower cost of acquisition
Easier to work into new markets
Recruiting talent
Media coverage
As we define the brand we need to think about what the promise to consumers is going to be. We want to figure out what the brand should be associated with. How will the consumer feel by working with the brand? As you can see there is a lot behind both marketing and branding but setting up the brand first makes the marketing job easier. I hope this helps you find more success building your brand. Let us know in the Facebook group how you are building your brand.
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