In this digital era, the internet is overflowing with self-proclaimed branding experts touting their knowledge about branding. If you’re like the vast majority of entrepreneurs and small business owners, branding is about logos, colors and websites. But if you’ve been following us for a while (or even if this is your first blog post you’re reading from us), you know that we’ve talked extensively about what a brand is… and, what it’s not.
Much of the online information about branding is false or skewed. So, beware of this, as you’ll be misguided. It’s frustrating, we get it.
That’s why we are committed to set the record straight.
Let’s proceed with discussing what is NOT a brand. Brand is NOT:
- Marketing
- Advertising
- Public Relations
- Social Media
- A Logo
- A Tagline/Slogan
- Your Colors
- Your Messaging
- Your Photographs
- Your Typography/Fonts
- Your Company or Product Name
- And, lastly, YOU
All of these are important and useful tools, tactics, and expressions to building a brand, but they are not YOUR brand. Then, you may ask, what IS a brand?
There are countless definitions of the word “brand” from many thought leaders that all have merit.
Seth Godin defines a brand as “the set of expectations, memories, stories, and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another. If the consumer (whether it’s a business, a buyer, a voter, or a donor) doesn’t pay a premium, make a selection or spread the word, then no brand value exists for that consumer.”
Jeff Preston Bezos, founder of Amazon.com and one of the most quoted entrepreneurs in the world, defines a brand as “what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
While there is no right or wrong definition of brand, we invite you to consider our definition.
Simply put, ‘brand’ is ‘a desired perception’.
If that’s the case, then you don’t own your brand.
It resides in the minds of the people that you’re communicating with. Therefore, branding is the process of creating, shaping, and influencing that desired perception in the marketplace.
It’s that simple.
If you’re not sure how you need to be perceived, as a brand, in order to attract your ideal clients or customers, OR if you’re now sure how to create your desired perception, we have good news for you.
Re Perez, CEO & founder of Branding For The People, has written his first branding book!
Your Brand Should Be Gay (Even If You’re Not):
The Art and Science of Creating an Authentic Brand
In it, he talks in depth about branding and all its components. Visit yourbrandshouldbegay.com to learn more.
