What Nobody Told me About Branding.
8 things you should know before getting started.
When I first decided to start my own business, I had no idea what branding was. I ransacked the internet for months, asked other people around me, joined various groups on social media platforms, but was left with conflicting, opinionated ideas that took me back to square one.
That’s when I realized - I need to learn how to research correctly and find the resources that will actually get me somewhere.
Which takes us to our first point:
1. Research is KEY!
I have heard umpteen comments on this one. Most of them go along the lines of: “Branding is all about creativity, just start and ideas will come to you.”
Yes, you do need creativity. But what strengthens your creativity is the research you perform and the inspirations you gather.
Research helps you analyze what others are doing and how you can set yourself apart. It helps you learn the latest trends and tweak your work accordingly. Oh, and it also helps you discover what branding is NOT about.
What else do you think research reveals?
2. Branding is NOT just the logo
Imagine someone is trying to interact with you for the first time. You tell them your name and then you become quiet. How long is that conversation going to last?
Yeah, 5 seconds. And they’re gone!
It’s the same with branding. Just telling your name and your logo is never going to be enough. Humans are emotional beings - they love to connect with the brands they are investing in. Only the logo and the name cannot build that connection.
3. People don’t want to know what you do
Yes, you read that right. As I expressed in the second point, people love hearing stories.
This is why they are less interested in what you do and more in “WHY” you do it. Telling the “why” builds trust, it builds that connection and makes people say: “that is so relatable!”
So, focusing on a branding strategy that expresses the story and the why is what makes brands thrive.
4. Rebranding should not be alienated
More often than not I’ve heard people say: “You’ve got a branding; you don’t have to change it. In fact, you shouldn’t.” But nothing could be further from the truth.
Envision it like this: you guys are the most supportive readers I’ve had but how many times would you read this article? One? Two? But you won’t read it a hundred times, right? Exactly! You’ll get bored.
After seeing the same face for years, people get bored. They expect change; they WANT change. They might not say it but it’s human psychology, we all need change.
So, keeping in mind what the audience likes, getting a rebrand even, if it's just a change of colors or packaging, is what keeps the brand alive.
What about you? Are you a fan of rebranding?
5. The product is not enough
Even though having a high-quality product that brings some value into people’s lives is the first and foremost requirement, it's not enough.
Suppose you go into a shop, and you ask for an organic soap. The shopkeeper puts two soap bars in front of you.
One has a catchy name that reflects its organic nature. It comes in a green wrapper with a few splashes of yellow and white. While the other one has nothing on the wrapper. Which one are you going to choose?
Of course, the green one!
We’ve always heard, “you should not judge a book by its cover.” But when it comes to branding, everything is judged by the cover and the appearance.
6. Just branding is not enough.
I know I have advocated branding throughout the entirety of this article but hear me out; only branding is not enough. Then what’s missing?
Advertising!
Let me lay it out for you. You got your branding done. You and the people associated with your business know about this branding.
But what about your audience? How are THEY going to notice you unless you have an advertising strategy and show your brand touchpoints to them?
Start advertising and keep reminding people that you exist!
7. Client involvement is crucial
Considering you have a problem; how would you go about solving it? By going to the concerned person and telling them your problem? Or by just telling them that you have a problem?
Of course, the first one.
Same is the case with branding. You need to tell the strategist exactly who you are, what you do, how you do it and what YOU want people to think of you.
No matter how experienced and skilled the strategist is, YOU came up with that awesome business idea and have a story to share with the world. Without telling that story in the brief, you would risk your brand not having a story at all.
You need to be involved in each and every step of the branding process for it to complement your expectations and connect you with your audience.
8. Time is money
While that line sounds cliched, it is the essence of branding. Branding is a business where profits depend solely on how fast or how slow you complete the project.
I’m not saying you should rush things but going too behind the schedule is the worst thing you could do to yourself as a brand strategist.
With no requirement of raw materials and machinery like many other businesses, branding is highly profitable, provided you are on schedule. The longer you let the project linger, the more money you lose.
These were the eight things I discovered after much trial and error and learning from my mistakes. But like everything else, branding is also evolving and there is still much to learn.
I would say that the best route you can take is gathering inspirations, looking around and keeping an open mind. Observe things and talk to your colleagues because discussion generates new ideas.
Follow people who have been in this business forever and a day and observe what they are doing.
Ok, that was a long enough break from switching between gathering inspirations for that logo, writing this article and procrastinating.
Thanks a bunch for coming this far. Hoping to see you again soon. :)
