Are You Inadvertently Undermining Your Business Success by Undervaluing Branding?

You’re on a mission to make a difference in the world, and in order to do that, it’s important that you understand and truly value branding. Creating a strong brand is one of the most essential steps in the process of building a successful, high-impact business. Branding shapes your customer’s perception and experience while allowing you to ensure trust through an emotional connection. It differentiates you from other “flash in the pan” type businesses and builds a loyal following, which will only increase your impact.

More importantly, it helps get your message out there loud and clear.

When you’re trying to make a difference in the lives of individuals who are constantly being bombarded with messaging on a daily basis, you want to be sure to get yours right the first time. You want to be clear about who you are, what you offer and the difference you’re able to make in their lives.

Why you need to value AND invest in your brand.

For the most part, you understand the importance of having a website and probably even a logo. You know that you’ll need marketing materials like an ebook, an email template for your mailing list or maybe even some printed pieces. However, if you’re not willing to invest in working with someone who really understands what branding is and how to effectively apply it’s principles to YOUR marketing materials, online presence or other touchpoints, you’re going to fall short.

There are a million and one designers out there and I’m almost positive you know a friend of a friend who has a cousin that “does design.” Branding and designers do not always go hand in hand. And furthermore, just because someone may know how to operate design software and maybe even make things look pretty, does NOT mean they understand branding, marketing or even design. When you work with a web or graphic designer that truly understands branding, you’re not only ensured to have a beautiful and strategic presence, you’re working with someone who also instinctively understands and values marketing. Things don’t just look pretty… they are strategically designed and placed in way that directly increases your bottom line.

I’m not about to tell you that you have to drop thousands and thousands of dollars to create a brand, because the truth is you don’t. But if you’re only looking to spend $150 for a logo and website done by this friend of a friend’s cousin, you’re not only cheating yourself, but you’re cheating your customers and you’re not going to make the impact that you want.

No matter what budget you have to spend, make sure you’re investing that money into someone who not only gets branding, but gets what you’re all about and what you’re trying to create. Branding is all about starting with a solid foundation. If that means you only have a small amount to spend, by spending it with the right person, you know you’re getting a solid foundation from which you can easily evolve your brand over time.

Good design ≠ Good branding.

Yes, I said it. Good branding is not defined by good design. Great branding is defined by a solid understanding of the values, mission and focus of YOUR company and how to communicate that with YOUR ideal market. Communication includes your visual presence online and off, yes, but is NOT defined by it. If you make the mistake of throwing your time and money at the cheapest “friend” you can find, you’re going to wind up spending more in the long run. You’re going to have to invest a heck of a lot more in redefining and redesigning yourself in order to grow and stay in business.

Great branding, design and marketing costs money.

I’m getting real with you. Great branding, beautiful design that communicates and a marketing strategy that works COSTS MONEY. By not valuing branding, you are undermining your success as a business. You may be able to limp along as one of the lucky ones with an okay website and strategy, especially if you have an amazing product or service, but wouldn’t it be awesome if you could see instant results and impact right off the bat? Great branding positions you as a leader in your market, which in turn gains instant loyalty and trust.

You’re awesome and you’re out to make an amazing difference in the lives of others. By investing in yourself and your business, you’re guaranteed to make that impact. Get serious about your business and treat it as professionally as possible right from the start.