You hear people talk about branding a lot, but sometimes you might not be sure if it’s something you need for your business or even whether your brand reflects what you stand for. Unfortunately, there are many branding myths out there, and you could be tempted to not worry about it altogether.
We are here to dispel the myths you may have heard, so you feel better equipped to get started on your brand strategy, put it in action, and take your business to the next level.
1. It’s all in a name and logo
A name and logo are powerful tools in branding, but that’s all they are. A name can set you apart from the rest and your logo is a graphic representation of your company, meaning you can have depictions of your brand. But on their own, they’re not a brand.
Our Brisbane brand agency will help you go well beyond a logo and name. While important in your brand design, your strategy should encompass the entire experience of your business. Consider how your customers feel when they use your products or services, how you change lives and what sets you apart from your competitors.
If all you have is a name and a logo, it may be time to hire a brand agency in Brisbane to help.
2. There’s no return on investment
You have a need, and a company has a solution. You have no idea that this company exists, so you settle for an inferior product or service. The company is not serving its potential customers and has now lost out on a sale and a potentially loyal customer.
This is the danger of not investing in your brand. People may even see your ads, but they won’t stick and make an impact without a clear brand strategy at work.
Additionally, brand perception can make or break your business. If you’re not using your brand strategy to become the go-to choice for your target demographic, you’re missing out on crucial sales every day.
While brand strategy investments may not have a clear return on the dollar, common sense dictates that the intangible effects are crucial to having a successful business. Every time you claim a place in customers’ minds as a reliable brand, you increase sales.
3. A brand design just needs to look good
Aesthetics are important — who wants an ugly logo? But aesthetics aren’t everything. It’s about your customers’ perceptions, not the beauty of your brand design.
If you speak with a brand agency in Brisbane, they will tell you that investment in aesthetics is essential. But if you stop there, you don’t have a functional brand design. That must also extend to ensuring that when your brand design is seen, it conjures up positive emotions and a sense of credibility.
So once you have that gorgeous logo, you still need to ask the essential questions of what your brand stands for, why you’re the best choice in your industry, and what should keep customers coming back for more.
4. Branding can wait
When 95% of sales are made subconsciously, branding matters. Every time a customer sees your products or services advertised or on the shelves without a clear brand strategy in place, they’ll only get confused, distrustful, or get the wrong impression of your business. And when it then comes time to make a decision subconsciously, they’ll go with a more trusted brand.
This means when you’re set up and in the eyes of the public, you need a brand strategy. You need to begin building credibility and establishing the foundation upon which your entire public perception will rest.
So no, this can’t wait. If you haven’t started already, get in touch with a brand agency in Brisbane today and start showing off your business the way you want customers to see it.
5. Branding is only for big companies and consumer goods
No business exists in a bubble. Customers are being bombarded with advertising every day from companies who show off exactly what they’re about and how they can make life better or more convenient. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the most prominent corporation globally or a single freelancer; every business needs a message, purpose, and drive.
If you have a competitor (and you do), you need a brand strategy. Whether you feel like you’re competing with a big corporate or a little family-owned business, branding is how you’ll differentiate yourself and create customer preference.
If you think you don’t need clear messaging created by a brand agency in Brisbane, you’re avoiding success. If you want customers, you need to create your business’ persona, no matter your size.
6. People don’t care about B2B brands
Customers are customers. Whether it’s a kid in the grocery store pointing out their favourite cereal or a CEO choosing the platforms to serve his employees, people are people. Customers look for trust, comfort and satisfaction with the products and services they choose.
So no matter whether you offer B2C or B2B products or services, presenting an image people want to work with is crucial. That’s where your brand strategy will come in.
7. Branding is priceless
Did you know that branding can be virtually free? And when we say free, we mean there are things you can do to leverage your brand that don’t cost a thing.
As we’ve mentioned, it doesn’t all just come down to a logo and aesthetic brand design. Branding is about the customer experience and how a company presents itself to the public. It’s about customers’ feelings when they walk in a door, how they are treated, and what you do as a business when something goes wrong.
So yes, corporations can spend hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars on redesigning their logo or pushing an aggressive campaign. However, enacting a brand strategy can also look like committing to superior customer service and speaking to customers with respect.
8. Branding and advertising are the same
Branding and advertising indeed go hand in hand. They’re so closely related that one doesn’t work without the other. However, the distinction lies in intent, and without this understanding, ad spend could be wasted.
Branding is your company’s identity. Advertising is how you get eyes on your company’s identity. As you can see, you can create an identity, but without advertising, no one will see it. If you only have advertising, you’ll be drawing eyes to your company with nothing to show them that will drive preference and create customer loyalty.
And with over 976 billion AUD going towards advertising globally, branding is what guarantees that your advertising dollars make an impact and go as far as they can.
9. Consistency is key
Once upon a time, “consistency is key” might have been something you heard from a top brand agency in Brisbane. And they weren’t wrong. Once you create an identity for your company, you want to cement it in people’s minds. The consistency establishes credibility for the public.
However, social media has changed what it means to connect with consumers. Now, you want to ensure your identity is authentic. But if you post on Instagram the same way you’d write a press release, you’ll come across as out of touch, or worse, lacking openness and honesty.
So while you should work towards consistency on your core values, you need to adapt to the platform where customers interact with your business. This way, you can interact authentically and demonstrate empathy, emotion, and relevance.
10. We have full control of a brand
You can check off everything on the list of creating and maintaining a perfect company identity, but you can’t control how customers perceive you. Some things are simply out of anyone’s control, and you’re at the mercy of the public.
This can be for good or bad. An excited audience can promote your company as something wonderful to their friends and family, completely independent of what you’ve been trying to do. On the other hand, customers can latch onto a small aspect of your company and highlight it as a negative.
While you can’t control your image completely, you can react appropriately when there’s a significant reaction to your business. Having a brand agency in Brisbane on your side can help manage both the good and bad reactions that come your way.
Take action on your brand strategy
It’s never too early to establish and share your company’s identity. And the sooner you start, the better. So don’t waste another day missing out on loyal customers you could be attracting. Get started on your brand with SOAK Creative today.
