Why Your Company's Brand Image Is So Important

Posted by Mark Hess

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With good brand development you establish a look and feel for your company that tells your customers and potential customers what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates your offering from that of your competitors. Your brand is derived from who you are, and who people perceive you to be. Think of what comes to mind when you think of Apple; or Godiva; or Volvo or any other name company you know.

If someone asked you to put in a few words what they represented, you’d probably have a similar opinion as most other people. That’s partly because of what they sell, but also how they have projected themselves in their advertising, customer service, reliability and a hundred other things that go into a brand perception.

Your Brand is Your Promise to Your Customers

You need to craft your company’s brand image by first having a clear set of founding principles, goals and policies. You need to decide if you’re going to be the cut-rate leader in your market, or the quality leader; the fast and easy brand of the latest trends, or the standard bearer of tradition and class.

To some extent you project these qualities in the crafting of your logo, your website, the tone of your communications, the quality of your service and products, your customer relations attitude, etc. You want your business to have a consistent brand perception in the minds of the public and for the most part this will come naturally. But once established with customers having real life experience working with you or purchasing from you, your brand perception will start to take on a life of it’s own.

You need to listen to customers and adjust your methods if you’re not happy with your brand’s perceived image. So brand development is a promise that you must defend and protect on an ongoing basis.

How To Get Great Brand Development Today

Today, too many companies are utilizing fractured or unbalanced marketing plans that don’t focus on strengthening their corporate brand, which may work in the short term, but will allow competitors to edge in and steal customers away with a more focused and easier to remember brand image.

Let’s go back to the examples above and see if the “branded” theory holds water. What do you think of when you see the logos here?

Volvo: Most generally thought of as a safe car.

Apple: People see/think innovation and great design.

Godiva Chocolate: The image of sinful indulgence, high end chocolate.

Even if you never used any of these products, your perception is formed by the brand identity.

So what do people think when they see your name or logo? How do you communicate your brands? Brand development. You start with a clear simple ideal for your company. And it’s not ,” I want to sell a million balloons.” It’s more like, “ I want to be thought of as the balloon company with the largest selection and best customer satisfaction.”

Though brand development is by no means a new idea, today consumers have more access to information and more choices than ever before. The result is higher expectations, and the brand’s message must captivate the consumer immediately. You need to make your company’s brand stand out amongst the competition; create a personality that consumers can remember and relate to.
The best way to handle your brand development is to hire professionals specializing in:

Logo Design & Creation: to craft a unique and professional brand image!

Brand Positioning: consulting to help fine tune your message and grow!

Collateral Materials: Website design, email marketing, direct marketing and more should be consistent and engaging.

Your Brand Image Says Everything About Your Company.

On the following tabs we have gathered the best providers of branding services, as well as the best deals online to help you with your branding plans at highly discounted rates.

Let us know your experience or comments.

Mark Hess is a marketer and small business expert as well as an award winning illustrator, painter, graphic designer, entrepreneur and co-founder of BizSaves; with a passion for online marketing and small business success.
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Other Great Branding Articles:

Forbes: 7 Tips for Building Brand Loyalty in a Discount Obsessed Market
Entreprenuer: Branding 101: Five Tips for Solopreneurs
Mashable: The Fundamentals & Best Practices of Logo Design