Successful Branding For SMEs
Then
Branding (from Teutonic brinnan, to burn), was first a mode of punishment using a hot iron to scar the body so that criminals could be recognized. It became a method of marking ownership of goods or animals with a hot iron.
Branding is still here to differentiate one thing from another and it is still about ‘mental shelf space’ or recognition of something.
Now
But these days it is more – it is about ’emotional shelf space’ too.
Now it is about describing a company or product or service’s core tangible & intangible attributes, values, character, expectations and reputation both before and after purchase to anyone in the defined audiences for the brand.
Defined audiences may include employees, distributors and consumers.
Describing this multi dimensional ‘personality’ of a brand involves creating a positive visual, emotional, rational and cultural image using a name, packaging, colours, symbols, straplines, music etc. etc.
The purpose is to ensure that more individuals ‘develop a relationship’ with the brand, remember it better than competitors and feel they have received greater value and satisfaction by buying ‘their brand’.
Your brand is what identifies your business to consumers. It resides in your customers and prospect’s hearts and minds – it is all their experiences and perceptions. Good branding results in loyal customers. It is well known that existing customer relationships are the key to profitability. So it’s no wonder that branding is a major marketing goal.
Kieron Matthews, the IAB’s head of marketing has said about branding: “I have always worked from