What the Heck is Branding?

August 26, 2009

"Branding" might be the most mis-understood term in the whole Marketing genre. This is because branding is a multi-dimensional term that also has become a buzzword. Every time the term "branding" is thrown around, the listener has to process what it means. And if you are from the West or watch John Wayne movies, branding has a entirely different meaning!

So here is a brief primer …

There are 4 traditional definitions/roles of branding:

Identity - creating a name, logo, color scheme, tag line/slogan, etc.
Awareness - creating I've-heard-of-you in the marketplace.
Perceptions - developing/creating an image using words, pictures, sounds, etc.
Promotion - creating behavior in the marketplace; also known as the "squeeze".

Here is what makes branding even more confusing. All of the above are true - and necessary. However, how do you accomplish these things when traditional media's role in society is changing? Or when we are in a recession? Or when your employees/customers can say whatever they want about your brand in the social space?

This leads to this question … how do you know if you need branding?

The short version is that everyone probably needs branding. But not everyone should be branded. This is because true branding is the art of helping people fall in love with you. For a brand, this is your employees, customers, community, etc. It means inspiring someone to buy from you, not coercing them. It is treating everyone as an individual, not a mass market. This means that true branding requires integrity - along with a sense of legacy and a dose of actually being different.

So with the above in mind, here are 5 signs that you need "branding"?

You are getting out-hustled by inferior competition. You know you are better, but they are selling more.
Your sales results are out of alignment with your business plan. Or to put it another way … your marketing investment is not producing enough sales.
You struggle every time you have to articulate why someone should buy from you. This is why so many companies resort to cliches or cheesiness.
Your customers tell you they love you - but also ask you "how come more people don't know about you?" Being a best-kept-secret just means you are not very good at branding yourself.
Your audience has stopped responding to your advertising/marketing. It's probably not just the medium; it's also the message. You need to re-capture their attention.

So here is our "squeeze" …

If any or all of these 5 things apply to you, why aren't you doing something about it?

Justin Foster | Founder/Partner
Tricycle - Brand Development

c: 208-841-3497

Web: thetricycle.com
Blog: brandmilitia.com
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LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/agencyunderground

About Tricycle

The true purpose of branding is to inspire people to fall in love with you. When you inspire people to love your brand, you will have greater customer retention, higher marketing ROI, and a legacy that changes lives. Tricycle, a modern branding firm, was created to provide the expertise and systems required to communicate your brand with boldness, creativity, and discipline.

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