WHAT IS BRANDING? | GUIDE TO CONQUER AND RETAIN YOUR CUSTOMERS!

Tell us a brand of soda! Don’t think about it too much, the first answer is the one that counts. Did you think of Coca-Cola? Well, this is the best example of what branding is!

? Branding is a set of strategies that position your brand in the consumer’s mind  ( top of mind). ? Although it is also about creating links of trust and closeness so that customers prefer you over your competition ( top of the heart) ❤️

Do you want to know more about what branding is and how to apply it in your own business?

Why is it important to know what branding is?

We already told you about the top of mind and the top of heart, but knowing what branding goes much further.

And it is that no one managed to retain consumers overnight!

✅ The most recognized brands have planned, executed, and evaluated complete brand management strategies to achieve it.

Although many believe that it is simply about creating an attractive logo and positioning a catchy slogan, there are other elements of branding :

• Graphic resources: logo, colors, typography, images, etc.
• Sound resources: jingles, sound logos, etc.
• Intangible resources: sensations to generate memories, customer experience, purpose, brand value, etc.

Nothing is random! Here is an example.

What happens if you hear: “ para pa pa paaaa ” and then “I’m lovin’ it” appears?

85% of people recognize that it is McDonald’s. Now, what happens if you see their logo? Already many will have cravings for a hamburger and fries. ?

To achieve this feeling, McDonald’s creatives use color psychology.

Yellow and red activate our senses since they are colors that excite us and make us alert. Also, since they are related to fire, we instinctively associate them with food.

You see! Nothing is by chance… Watch the video and learn about different applications of branding.

What is branding for?

The McDonald’s example is just a demonstration of why it is necessary to learn what branding is and how it works. But here the big question is knowing what the advantages of branding are.

We tell you what branding is for!  Statistics are from HubSpot.

A branding strategy generates bonds of trust with consumers

80% of people would download an app from a brand they know and trust. This is very useful if you want to sell online!

Branding improves the visibility, reputation, and positioning of your company

54% of consumers want to see more videos of the brand they are interested in. This can be the success of a social media strategy!

Ensures constant customer acquisition

Do you want your company to grow sustainably in the market?

49% of companies want to increase customer acquisition, and a good way to achieve profitable business is through branding.

Branding “humanizes” a brand

People buy more when they feel like it’s a friend talking to them, not a brand trying to sell to them. Did you know that internet ad blocking is 27%?

This implies large losses of money in advertising. The power of the ideas you convey with branding can generate more impact! ?

How to make a branding strategy for your business?

To create a branding strategy you have to start from the construction of a brand.

? But first, what is a brand? In addition to being the graphic representation of an idea, it is the set of thoughts and sensations that people share about this idea.

In other words, a brand is also a concept that brings together the interests, concerns, fears, and tastes of a segment of people. In fact, when this happens we start talking about a brand community.

Clarified this, now we will explain how to build a branding strategy. Take note!

1. Analyze a BANI environment

Have you ever heard of the VUCA environment? Created in the 1980s, it refers to the business scenario of that time: Volatility (volatile), Uncertainty (uncertain), Complexity (complex), and Ambiguity (ambiguous).

However, the world is dynamic and today we speak of the BANI environment.

What is the difference? While VUCA is based on assumptions (somewhat uncertain), with BANI there is no room for doubt, the effects are known thanks to the data. ?

A BANI environment is:

• Brittle (brittle). Nothing is guaranteed, we live in a world of trends. Bad luck Bryan! This meme that was a success is now history.
• Anxious (anxious). In an increasingly globalized world with greater access to information, there is more anxiety. Every minute there are more than 3.5 million searches on Google and the use of the word fake news increased by more than 365%!
• Nonlinear (nonlinear). Consumption processes no longer follow defined rules, the famous cause and effect can vary. The best example is the YouTuber with more than 2 million followers who only sold 36 shirts.
• Incomprehensible (incomprehensible). What motivates us to buy? What are the reasons for our purchase decisions? Managing information in context is more than necessary!

2. Set branding goals

What is your value proposition? How are you going to pass it on? It is not only about finding that which differentiates you from the competition but that your audience knows how to recognize it.

To achieve this, we recommend that you use SMART objectives for branding. ?

HubSpot suggests that you consider these two aspects when defining them:

• Functional:  success is measured for immediate reasons. How long did the pre-sale of the Play Station 5 last? Just a few hours and it’s sold out worldwide!
• Intentional: the increase in sales is linked to a contribution to the world. Crepes and Waffles, a Colombian restaurant chain, has its employees as a value proposition. Most of them are responsible mothers of their homes!

3. Build your brand identity

You already know what the profile of your consumers is and you have defined the objectives to reach them, it is time to generate recognition and closeness.

These are the elements to create your brand identity: 

• Naming. Your brand name should be powerful, inspiring, unique, and easy to pronounce. Did you know that Nike is the name of the Greek goddess of victory?
• Logo. It must be easy to recognize, captivating, and must ally with the value of your brand. The Nike logo creates a sense of movement, but also of success. It symbolizes the wing of this mythological goddess!
• slogan. Captivating, easy to remember, and a must-have action: Just do it!
• Colors. Do you remember the psychology of color? You must use colors as an ally in the creation of your brand. Black means power, elegance, satisfaction, and prestige.
• Typography. Everything enters through the eyes, right? NIKE in capital letters is imposed, but tilted gives a sensation of movement.
• Brand tone and voice. How does your audience speak? What are the expressions you use the most?

4. Use emotional marketing

Knowing what branding also has to do with knowing what emotional marketing is, as it helps the brand position itself better in the consumer’s mind.

These are the other elements of branding related to the brand experience  that you should take into account:

• Emotion. People seek to belong to something and feel identified with it. What’s more, 85% of our purchasing decisions are unconscious, based on feelings and emotions such as happiness and well-being.
• Consistency. Brands must follow the values ​​they promote. If they care about the environmental crisis, their production should not be polluting. Now, brands can also make mistakes, but they must remedy them in time so as not to generate discomfort in the audience.
• Flexibility. Consumers are bothered by brands that do not innovate, and that do not go at their pace. Do you know what your audience is up to or who are your new consumers?
• Loyalty. Much has been said about maintaining and retaining customer loyalty so that they do not go with the competition. Does your audience feel that you are loyal to them? One strategy that has been used to encourage links is the use of Instagram Stories, where brands maintain constant communication with their consumers.
• Competitiveness. Knowing who your competition is will allow you to improve your strategies, but it also allows you to stay on top of the trends and offer your consumers better service.

5. Make your employees part of the strategy

There is another aspect within the creation of a branding strategy that is super important: your employees.

According to Forbes, there is 560% more impact in a message shared by your employee about your products than the same message shared on company social media. ?

But that is not all.

Content shared by employees can generate 8 times more engagement than content shared by the brand.

These statistics only prove one thing: we are people who are interested in connecting with other people! ?

6. Evaluate the results of your branding strategy

The last step of the strategy is to evaluate how much impact your branding strategy has had.

✅ To do this, it is important that you analyze the KPIs or branding metrics that will tell you whether or not you have been successful. This will also allow you to find bugs and know how to improve them.