thinking brand The importance of not bland!

Brands and branding are concepts that are much misunderstood by so many people in business. On the one hand, many smaller businesses think that a brand is no more than a name and/or a logo, while on the other hand, some equally incorrectly believe that brands and branding are very expensive, unaffordable and only for bigger businesses.

By PHIL STRACHAN

THE TRUTH IS THAT EVERYONE IN business, regardless of the size of their business, is already a brand. They already have a brand (good or bad) and their business is already branded, whether they deliberately set out to create a brand or not. In simple terms, a brand can be thought of as being what people say about your business when you are not in the room - it is the impression you have left.

Your brand is what you stand for Your brand is not your name, your brand is not your logo - these are simply identifiers, how people can recognise your brand versus others. Your brand, on the other hand, is what you and your business stand for and are seen to stand for, what comes to mind when people hear your name or see your name or brand identity – eg reliable, approachable and great value, or unreliable, aloof and poor value.

These associations, on both rational and emotional dimensions, are built over time and from experience. They are essentially about how you and your business are perceived – and that is why branding is fundamentally the art of managing perceptions.

No point in just blanding in How you are perceived, what you and your business are seen to stand for, is something that you can and must influence if you are to be successful.

You must be able to stand out from the crowd and apart from your competitors for all the right reasons. Your brand is your identity, it is your means to differentiate your offering meaningfully and effectively. It is your way to ensure that you don’t simply ‘bland in’ with the competition and become lost and drowning in a sea of sameness.

Don’t just jump on the blandwagon

It is important to ‘think brand – not bland’ because there is simply no point or value in being bland - and it is pointless jumping on the already well oversubscribed blandwagon. You don’t want to end up becoming yet another example of the bland that time forgot.

So, your brand is your identity, and it can and should be managed.

However, new businesses often dive headlong into execution mode. They have logos designed, websites built and social media campaigns launched, before they have identified what their message needs to be. They don’t know who they are, what they are or what they need and want to be seen to stand for to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Yet they are in execution mode and potentially wasting money. They are putting the cart before the horse. In the case of existing businesses, they are often supposedly being ‘rebranded’ when in fact all that is being done is a superficial, and ultimately pointless and ineffectual, change of name and/ or logo.

Necessity can be the mother of re-invention

On the subject of established businesses, it is vitally important that they periodically take a step back and take a long hard look at themselves from the outside-in. Many businesses that have been established for maybe 10 or 15 years are still saying essentially the same thing that they were when they originally launched - and still presenting themselves in the same way. This, despite the fact that they will most probably have changed, often very significantly. This could be due to changes in the market over time or due to new and existing competitors refreshing their messaging, perception and presentation. To remain relevant and current, every business should periodically review what actions they need to take to manage their perceptions. This might include revitalising, refreshing, and reinvigorating their presentation and communications – and perhaps even reinventing themselves.

In summary

For a new business, good branding can transform the likelihood of success. It can add huge value by helping you to stand out, and to connect, engage and communicate effectively with your target audience. For existing and established businesses, a review of your branding can refresh, rejuvenate, and revitalise your business and give it a new lease of life.

Phil Strachan Strangebrew 07770 753975 phil@strangebrew.co.uk