Despite the commonly held belief, businesses don’t sell products; they sell emotions and experiences. Customers don’t invest in something without having the feeling of being involved in a product. They need to feel loved and appreciated with their purchases, which is why they need to feel like they are part of the company to fully invest in it.
This is where branding comes in. You aren’t invested in the Marketing strategy of where you see the product, you are invested in the brand.
And commonly people when investing in marketing, don’t understand the difference, and this could be one of the reasons why your business isn’t as successful as what you are hoping for.
What is branding?
Branding involves establishing the unique identity of a company and encompasses various components such as the creation of a logo, tagline, visual design, and tone of voice to support the brand. Essentially, branding is a process that involves researching, developing, and applying a distinct feature or set of features that will allow consumers to associate your brand with your products or services.
For example, the Coca-Cola brand has one of the most recognisable logos around the world. The brand itself captures the audience, not the fact of what it offers. Coca-Cola is of course a beverage company, but it isn’t the beverage that you remember, it is the feeling of being refreshed, hanging out with mates, or relaxing after a hard day.
Other benefits of branding include:
1. Influencing purchasing decisions.
2. Creating a recognised identity for your business.
3. Tell a story about what your business is without the customer knowing about your business.
3. Helping customers remember your business.
4. Boosting advertising and marketing by association.
5. Building employee support and trust.
What is marketing?
Marketing comprises a range of tools, processes, and strategies employed to effectively advertise a business and generate awareness about its products or services. Various methods, including email newsletters, social media campaigns, and newspapers are utilised to accomplish these objectives.
Types of marketing
· Digital marketing: Digital marketing includes online platforms such as social media posts, emails and search engine optimization (SEO).
· Relationship marketing: where focus on earning customer loyalty and trust through creating excellent customer service.
· Scarcity marketing: Scarcity marketing focuses on the psychological principle that individuals want what is difficult to get.
· Traditional marketing: Newspaper advertisements and radio commercials
Branding vs. Marketing
Although branding and marketing are often lumped together, they are distinct disciplines that play crucial roles in the success of a business. However, the truth is that both are necessary and must collaborate effortlessly for a business to succeed.
In simple terms, branding represents the unique identity of a company, while marketing encompasses the tactics and strategies employed to effectively communicate that vision.
Provided by Hubspot
While both branding and marketing share similar objectives, they have different outcomes. Here are some differences between branding and marketing:
Brand is the start, Marketing is the finish
Marketing only can occur when a company completes its branding strategy. Once a company establishes its brand and recognises what it wants to offer to the marketplace, it can begin its marketing campaign for its product or services. You can not start with Marketing, without branding.
Branding is creative, and Marketing is logical
Marketing is the more logical process between the two. It is the persuasion of the consumers, where the Brand is the creative, focusing on the details of tone and colour. But, who makes sure that the company’s tone and colour are seen and heard in the market? That is Marketing.
Short-term vs long-term
Branding focuses more on the company’s long-term goal, whereas marketing is more short-term. For instance, a fashion company may build the Brand of being a leader in women’s wear but focus on promoting a new dress line in the short term.
Change versus constant
Marketing must adapt to the changes in the industry, being trends or cultural, where the Brand remains the same over time. Although brands do change, the longevity of the brand is more ongoing than that of a Marketing campaign.
Whether you know or understand what Branding and Marketing is, they work hand and hand and without each other, your business’s success will not work. But also remember that you can not do one without the other.
If you are after Branding and Marketing needs, or still not sure where to start, then send Chrissy an email to discuss your options chrissy@creativelittlesoul.com.au.