I don't need branding - I have a logo
I’ve heard something similar to this throughout my career. “We already have a logo. So we have our branding taken care of.” I’m always amazed by the absolute certainty these people have about branding simply because they’ve started a business. The certainty that:
- They really understand what branding entails and what it can do for them
- They know what makes branding effective
What branding can do
Through a lengthy career, I have seen the business benefits that professional branding delivers. I’ve seen the investment in time and resources pay off. And I’ve seen the residual effect it can have with customers and prospects. So, yeah, I’m disappointed when I hear someone who is new to branding give me their ‘expert’ opinion. Here are some things I have actually encountered (some details have been changed to protect the clueless).
- A jeweler gushes about how happy he is with the new name that he created. A name that can best be described as cringe worthy. Not only because it’s goofy, but also because it does more to cement his image as a small-time operator instead of giving prospects confidence in his expertise.
- An owner of a chain of retail stores brags about how he got his logo done for free by his nephew who’s “pretty good with computers” (you can imagine what this looked like).
These are the organizations that are at the neophyte end of the branding spectrum. It’s not a bad place to be if you’re starting out. It’s staying there that is the problem. These examples I just gave were businesses that never moved beyond beginners when it came to branding. Could they survive? Sure. Could they thrive? It’s a lot harder. The reason is that great branding is essential to help people understand why you’re relevant, different, genuine, and valuable. All the things that help them discern why you’re right for them or why they should choose you over another option.
Here’s the magic of that. Imagine them perceiving all those things before they even step up to have a conversation with you. Imagine what would happen with your sales success under that scenario. Does that sound like something your organization would want? If the answer is yes, then you do need branding.