In the era of social media, we have seen an incredible boom in this little thing called “branding”. With influencers striving for our likes and giant companies making TikToks, branding has become a house-hold term. The importance of branding is more evident than ever before.
Many people associate a brand with a label or an image. When we think of Target, we think of their iconic red logo. When we think of Nike, we think of the swoosh. But branding extends far beyond a graphic.
Branding is the intentional combination of voice, values, and visuals associated with a business.
It is the collection of thoughts, feelings, ideas, and more that create an all encompassing experience. Branding is the emotive response that lingers in a person’s mind after interacting with a business.
Maybe you’ve heard your friends allude to this idea of a “personal brand”. We buy clothes that fit a certain look we are striving for. We add songs to our curated playlists because they fit the vibe we want to embody. While it might rustle some feathers, everyone has a personal brand. In fact, every single entity, businesses and beyond, has a brand.
Now, don’t hear us wrong. We are in no way saying that all things, people included, are commodities. Rather, just as people have their own unique personalities, businesses have the same thing.
And as a personality is to a person, a brand is to a business. The importance of branding is to clearly define that personality in order to introduce your business to the world with clarity and confidence.
The Importance of Branding
Now you might be thinking “What does this have to do with me? My business has a logo, I am fine!”.
While we immediately think of Target’s logo when we hear their name, there is more that comes to mind as well. Feelings like approachable, warm, friendly, aspirational, even addictive! These feelings didn’t just happen because of your personal experience with Target. This emotive response was intentionally and strategically designed.
Think about it this way: Many people dream of becoming a healthier version of themselves. The type of person who wakes up early, exercises more, cooks more, reads more, and is a happier human. But these same people often get discouraged by the idea of creating a routine. It feels limiting. It feels like our freedom and spontaneity is being stripped away. Habits and routine often get a bad rap for feeling monotonous and dull.
In his book Atomic Habits, author James Clear explains that whether they know it or not, all people already have routine and habits. Whether we call them good or bad, we all live according to our habits. The only difference is that many of our habits were formed without us knowing it. Staying up too late, scrolling TikTok too long, not waking up on time.
The habit will be there, whether we intentionally set them or not. So wouldn’t we rather be people who mindfully set good habits? In the same way, you already have a brand. You might have a logo. But what are the thoughts, feelings, and ideas associated with it? What is that lingering emotive response that sticks around in people’s minds when they see you? The brand will be there, whether we intentionally design it or not. So wouldn’t we rather be a business who has mindfully designed a strong brand?
Closing Thoughts
Branding is the intentional combination of voice, values, and visuals associated with a business. Whether you thoughtfully designed it or not, your brand is communicating to the world “this is who I am”. It is up to us as the business owners to know what the narrative is and to refine it so we can step into our businesses with confidence. The importance of branding goes beyond beautiful visuals. It is a vital key to a brand that attracts your audience and allows you to reach your goals.
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