Brand. Brand. Brand. It’s all you hear these days. My brand, your brand, our brand, their brand. It’s THE buzzword isn’t it? Probably the most overused term in the graphic design industry. Us designers seemingly like to throw the term around to make us feel so much more important than we actually are. Putting your logo on a T shirt, or on a tote, or on a sign isn’t branding as many would have you believe. You can do that on Vistaprint with a logo from Fiverr. That’s not branding

Branding is strategic. It’s business. It’s properly communicating with your target audience in a language they will be receptive of. Before anything is produced to sell, it requires the idea for a quality final product backed up with a mission, a vision, morals, ethics, and culture. Potential customers are looking for something that is genuine, honest, and authentic, not superficial and untrustworthy. Can you supply that?

From the outside a “brand” is a perception. It’s what people think about you, your product, or service. How you deliver on that promise is key in earning trust. You can try to manage that perception as best you can, but ultimately any poor interactions with your organization and what you’re selling can result in experiences that are diametrically opposed to your intent.

Leading prospective customers from awareness, to consideration, loyalty, and ultimately advocacy is an investment. It’s not what you say it is, It’s what they say it is. They have that power. These are important issues to consider when involved in a start-up or in repositioning an organization within in its competitive landscape. If you set out first and foremost to “create a brand” you will most likely not succeed. If you set out to create something unique, ownable, and which brings benefits to your customers, the much valued “brand” tag will follow.