Your Brand vs Your Branding: Why they aren't the same thing.

What do you think of when you think of your favourite brand?

Sure, you probably think about the name. And the logo and colours they use. And perhaps even the last ad you saw for the brand and how it made you laugh, or want to buy the latest product or service.

Here’s the thing though. The main things you associate with your favourite brands are the way you feel about them. Or importantly, how they make you feel.

When you first start your business, the name and the logo are top of mind. You might even think that once you’ve got your name and your logo, you’ve got a brand.

But building a strong brand is about more than a logo.

And your branding, is not your brand.

So, what are the differences between brand and branding? And why does it matter to your business?

What is branding?

Branding is a word that’s widely misused in the small business world.

Your branding is your logo, colours and fonts that you use to represent your brand in a visual way across your product, services and marketing.

The problem, is that lots of people still refer to this as their “brand”.

In reality though, your branding is only one part of your brand.

It’s an important part, that allows fast recognition of your brand in the world.

But having great branding, doesn’t automatically make a great brand.

To have the impact you really want to have, your brand needs more than just a pretty logo.

What is a brand?

So, if your logo isn’t your brand, then what is?

Your brand is made up of all the things your customer can see.

And all the things they feel.

It’s in everything from the way the receptionist answers the phone. To the products and services you choose to supply. To the type of packaging you use. To the tone of voice you build into your marketing.

Your brand is a feeling.

It’s a feeling that builds with each interaction you, your products and your services have with a customer.

Your brand is a promise.

It’s the story your customers tell themselves about your business, and how it relates to their life. Even when you’re not in the room.

When they tell themselves that story, they create a connection.

And because they feel that connection, they’ll be inspired to buy from you.

How you live up to the promise you’re making will either build, or break your brand.

Why having a brand is important.

While having branding is a great start, having a brand is important if you want to build an ongoing, loyal connection between your business and your audience.

And connection is key.

When you can create a connection between what you’re selling, and how your customer sees themselves in the world, you’ll create an in-demand brand.

Building a brand will help your business to find and retain your ideal customer.

How to get started building your brand.

If we look at a brand as being made up of the intangible, or how our customers feel about us, then it’s easy to think that we don’t have much control over building our brand.

But that’s not true.

Building a strong brand is all about understanding our customer, and helping them see how we fit into the story of their lives.

And to do this, you need to build Brand Story Strategy.

Brand Story Strategy is comprised of six pillars –

• Brand Vision

• Brand Mission

• Brand Values

• Brand Differentiators

• The Tribe

• Brand Personality

Brand Story Strategy will help you create a strong brand that connects with your ideal customer, because it lays the foundations for everything you do in your business.

You can use it to positively influence the experience of your customer.

You can use it to influence your marketing and content decisions including what stories you tell and how you tell them.

You can use it to make decisions about the products and services you’ll offer and how you’ll offer them.

And you’ll find that you’ll be able to start building a brand that your ideal customer wants to be a part of.

Your brand should influence your branding.

When you use your brand to influence everything you do in your business, you’ll start to see how powerful it can be.

When you look at your brand as something more than a logo, you’ll realise that the world’s best brands put their customer at the heart of the story, and use their branding to make their brand promise connect even more.

And when you treat your brand as something beyond ourselves – something that’s to be shared, something we want our ideal client to connect with – you’ll start to think about it in a different way. You’ll show up in a different way.

You’ll be connected. You’ll be consistent. Your business will grow.

When you have a brand, you can create incredible change.

And that’s why you got into business in the first place.