Branding might be one of the most important parts of your business. It acts as the DNA of your business and is much more than just a logo. Your brand is what people remember when they think of their customer experience. From your employees, customer service, website, social media presence and even how you answer the phone is a representation of your brand.

The biggest mistake people make when they think of branding is focusing on the logo; when they have created something they are happy with the branding stops there.

When developing a brand we like to put ourselves in the customers' shoes. That way you can work your way back from a loyal customer to marketing qualified lead. A strong brand doesn't happen immediately, it takes time and should be accompanied by a strategy.

Here are a few reasons why branding is important for your business.

Your Brand VS the competition

Having a good brand can separate you from your competition. At ICS, we put a huge focus on company culture, our team wants to work here and that reflects when we are working with customers. When your customers see that you really enjoy what you are doing it reflects in the product and services you provide.

Imagine walking into a retail shop, the store owner is very standoffish and not there to answer your questions. As consumers we have countless options so if the experience doesn't jive with your expectations you will likely go somewhere else.

Brand Recognition

The more emphasis you put on your brand the more it gets recognized. Regular social media posts, website updates and community outreach shows your existing and potential customers how you do business and what values you have. If they align and you are putting that consistent effort forward, it becomes much easier to gain them as a new customer.

Strong Brands Lead to Strong Referrals

This all comes down to customer experience. The second a customer reaches out to your business, you need to create an experience that leaves them saying "wow." If you do this, they can become your biggest business generators through word of mouth. When you have a good or bad experience you are generally ready to tell the world about it. Ensuring your customers have a great experience puts less pressure on your staff because the customer has already heard great things.

A Brand Creates Clarity

It's surprising how common it is for a brand to be unaware of who they are until they start to define their processes and services/products. We were guilty of this ourselves. For years we would offer any service we could which resulted in some not so great experiences on the customers side and vice-versa. When we defined our brand and services focusing on what we know we are great at, we soon saw those headaches go away. This defining process allows you to focus on your goals for the brand instead of trying to be great at everything. When you do this, it also becomes clear to your customers.

The Takeaway

Having a brand that you care about will allow you to create great experiences for your employees and customers. A clearly defined plan will not only avoid confusion and wasted efforts but create clarity going forward. Investing in strong branding is important but it doesn't stop at a logo design, it needs to live throughout your entire culture.

Ask yourself, how strong is your brand? If you aren't sure of the answer then we may be able to help define your brand from an initial strategy to ongoing marketing efforts. As a branding and graphic design agency we have helped create hundreds of brands over the last ten years and we'd love to help find the voice for your brand.