Branding is essential to the core of any successful business that it is easy to sometimes forget how vital it is. Brand creation, the face of your business, sometimes needs to be revisited and refreshed. If you aren’t sure why, or if you know it’s time for you to rethink your brand, we’ve put together this list to remind you why branding matters.

Your brand is your face and your voice. Great companies have been made simply by understanding the value of creating an identity that their customers want to be associated with. Sports brands, such as Nike and Adidas have excelled at this for decades. However, more companies are recognising the importance of allowing their brand voice to be subtle, to find connections through influencers and online campaigns, such as ride-sharing app Lyft, which allows users to feel more in control and connect with the brand.

From your landing page to your business card, having a cohesive brand voice makes it easier for your customers to identify your products or services in the marketplace. So, if you are beginning a business or rebranding, it’s important to remind yourself of why branding matters.

1. Forms A Stronger Customer Bond

Branding is the combination of marketing and advertising elements that form a cohesive snapshot of a company. It is the first impression your company can make on a prospect. A strong brand expresses the importance of the company’s:

  • Drive
  • Products
  • Mission
  • Policies
  • Services

A brand that is transparent and authentic helps you create a connection with your customer. A good branding strategy allows a company to express its nature to its customer base. Branding gives your company value and creates insights into a company, it helps customers form a bond. They are more likely to care about a brand when they understand the message and can identify with the voice, prompting consumers to ‘buy-in’ to the brand.

2. Creates Employee Advocates

When employees become advocates for your company your reach is increased. Employees are more likely to work harder and spread a positive message by word-of-mouth recommendation when they are proud to be part of your company. With a clear brand and supportive messaging, employees are more likely to share content and become brand advocates. This drives internal culture and gives employees a common message they can rally around.

3. Supports Marketing and Advertising Efforts

A clear company message and personality makes marketing easier by providing the foundations for all campaigns. Strong branding and content support your sales and marketing teams, who can reply on a cohesive message and clear voice to develop strategies and write campaigns. While some of the longest-running brand campaigns have changed over the decades, they usually keep a central focus, such as coca-cola and their ‘happiness’ baseline or Disney’s offer of a ‘magical’ entertainment experience. While the conversation might have been adapted over the years, both companies have maintained a strong brand mission to convey their message and not detract from that bottom line.

4. Drives a Higher Price Point

Great branding makes a company more desirable to its target audience. A company like Apple is more valuable because of branding alone. While a product or service is important, it is the brand that makes the company stand out. Good branding focuses on “why” a company does what it does. If your company can present a solid case for why you are doing what you do, then your customer base is more likely to pay top-dollar for it.

5. Builds a Loyal Customer Base

Branding can make or break your relationship with your customers. If your customers have a good experience that doesn’t just end with the purchase decision, then they are more likely to make future purchases. Loyal customers are more valuable since your company only has to pay to gain the lead and get them through the sales funnel once. Great branding makes customers want to remain with the company and then tell others about their experience. Customer advocates are the most valuable marketing tools your company can use to generate leads.