Brand, Branding &
Branding Strategy
BY ZAIN AHMED KAMAL
This blog is for anyone who wants to take their business to another level and build a brand. To do that you need to understand the very basics of what is brand, branding and branding strategy.
I have covered all that here. Let’s begin.
The first big question what is a brand?
For better understanding before knowing what a brand is, let us clear out what it is not.
It is not a logo! Yes it is not.
Tell me one thing if by having a logo one can become a brand then every company having a logo must be a brand, but are they?
So logo is not a brand, but an identity mark for the brand and has its own importance.
It is not a product or service!
Every company either sells a product or provides a service, but every company is not and cannot be a Brand.
However the quality and utility of the product or service is very important and should not be neglected.
what is a brand?
It is a gut feeling towards a product or service. It is an invisible aura that surrounds the company providing that product or service. That is a brand.
Now tell me if every company has that? Do you go and buy any product at any given price provided by any seller or that happens only with certain products? Does every service attracts you or are there only a few?
It is the gut feeling which tells you if a product is worth the price or not. It is the gut feeling that creates desire for a particular service. It is the gut feeling that makes you want it.
The company, business or person that succeeds in creating a strong gut feeling for their product or service will create a Brand.
Remember brand as a gut feeling exists in the mind and heart of people, not in a logo or product or service. However the latter are also very important.
what is branding?
If a brand exists in the mind and heart of people then it can be placed, altered and managed. The process of doing that is called branding.
Branding is not a one day act but a process and it takes time and lot of efforts. What is done today pays tomorrow. Branding helps a company to grow enormously. It builds fierce loyalty, which cannot be shaken easily by any competitor. It allows a brand to increase profit margin without losing the customer base. Branding helps to build a strong reputation and trust.
It will give you nothing in short term but everything in long term.
what is
Branding
Strategy?
When you see a sexy fast car around you, what do you notice first? The looks, its exteriors; isn’t it? When you sit inside the car you see the interiors and its features. All of that is fine but what actually makes the car super fast is its engine. The car would be a useless show piece without its engine.
It is the very same with a brand. You cannot make a brand without a strategy; consider it the engine of a super fast car. So any strategy used to build a brand is called a branding strategy.
How to build
a brand?
It is not one but a combination of multiple things which constitutes a brand. The main purpose of branding is to differentiate itself from competitors and become the only in the field. We will talk about some of the things which is essential to build a brand but here I will keep it very short and write individual blogs on each one in detail. So subscribe to our email list if you wish to be informed about it.
Core purpose
Core purpose is the reason why your company exists more than just to make money. It is about understanding the need and goal of the customer, then helping them to achieve it. It is about adding more value to your product or service. If you manage to do that you build trust and then they will come to you no matter what.
For example we at ZAK Designs don’t just create anything for the sake of designing it. We help business become a brand through designing but with a strategy. We help entrepreneurs to grow massively and make a big name in the world.
Our core purpose is to help entrepreneurs Create the Impossible, which is also our tagline.
Values
To be worth peoples trust a business needs to be authentic. People will sniff hypocrisy and if they do, forget about building a brand; even surviving will become difficult.
To build authenticity a business needs to have a set of values; which will be the rule or principle of the firm. Each person in the organisation from the top leaders to ground staff must stick to them no matter what. Slight deviation will hamper the brand.
It will be difficult at times but the outcome will be worth it.
Just for an example these are ZAK Designs Values.
Vision
Vision is the biggest goal of the firm, for which the entire organisation works together. It is a movement or initiative which is close to the heart of each member working in that company. It is to make something big and great which will also inspire people outside the organisation to join that vision.
For example the vision of ZAK Designs is to build the maximum number of great brands in India.
Tone of Voice
Tone of Voice is the way a company express itself in words and action. This tone of voice is used to create a strong identity for the company. It can be anything funny or serious, happy or sad etc.
For example ZAK Designs tone of voice is “inspirational”. Read anything on our website and it will inspire you to do something great in your life.
These are the foundation blocks on which the entire identity pillar of the brand will be set; so it has to be strong and firm.
Building a brand is much more than these few things but this is where it starts from.
I hope this was helpful for you to understand what really a brand is; as well as the difference between brand, branding and branding strategy. If there is anything not clear enough please put it in the comment box and I will try my best to make it easier to understand. Also if you wish to know anything more or you want me to write on any particular topic please put it in the comment box.
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