Branding matters.

Branding is not just a logo; your business’ reputation, idea, commitment and uniqueness are shown in your branding. The importance of branding cannot be overstated in this day and age, with brands needing to be recognizable while also keeping themselves in their customer's favour. This is not a simple task, but one that any business must undergo to ensure its success.

In a world full of choices, with tens, hundreds, and sometimes thousands of options for the same kind of product, effective branding can help distinguish your business from others as a top choice. To simplify, there are five main steps in the branding process.
After you have your product, which you intend to present, your first step towards successful branding will be Market research.

Market research

Market research means understanding your target audience. In lay terms: Who do you want to sell to? Understanding precisely who you’re marketing your product to will help you create branding tailored to your business, product, and customers’ expectations.
Market research will also mean analyzing your competitors and understanding current trends in sales of similar products. Suppose you can understand what other brands are doing to sell their products. In that case, you can leverage this information to either fall into the mainstream or, for the braver few, stand out from the crowd.

With your market defined and a new understanding of the market's direction, you can determine your brand identity and goals.

Defining Brand Identity

How you go about this step is the most subjective part of the branding ordeal. Creating a memorable brand name and designing a recognizable and functional logo is a daunting task for most. Still, while crafting a brand identity, certain options will outshine the rest, and they may be the ones you least expect. Your logo should transcend mere aesthetics; it should be a visual narrative reflecting the ideals your business upholds and the products or services it offers. The subtlety of this process lies in deciphering which messages resonate most effectively with your target audience. As you mould your brand identity, the symbiosis of a well-crafted name and a compelling logo becomes the cornerstone upon which the entire brand narrative unfolds, paving the way for recognition, resonance, and lasting impact in the competitive market landscape. The brand values and mission will define how these decisions are made most of the time. The best advice is: Listen to your designer!

Develop Brand Messaging

How are you going to tell your story? How will you define your presence in the market? Answer these questions and stick to your answers. Is your business 100% professional, or does it flow with social media trends to stay in the zeitgeist? The answer to these questions depends on your target audience. Suppose you’re looking to sell your product to businesses. In that case, your tone should be professional and clear while staying personable and approachable.

On the other hand, if you aim for direct-to-consumer sales, you should allow your presentation to be more personal, friendly and approachable. Sometimes, breaking down the barrier between the company and the customer, even on a smaller scale, can help to solidify yourself as a top choice for a new or repeat customer. Defining your brand's message and story will help your business to stay consistent in its presentation across platforms.

Implementation

Consistency is key in the implementation phase. When you have defined your brand identity, seamless integration across platforms should be your top priority. It's akin to maintaining a reliable persona; think of that colleague who oscillates between nice and mean, leaving you uncertain about their reliability. Similarly, if your branding oscillates in its messaging or visual representation, it risks breeding mistrust. As a consistent and dependable colleague becomes your go-to for support, a brand that maintains uniformity becomes a reliable entity in the eyes of consumers. From your marketing materials to your online presence, every touchpoint should echo your brand identity, reinforcing the narrative you've carefully crafted. This coherence fosters trust and bolsters brand recognition, creating a memorable experience for your audience.

Adapt

Your brand's ability to adapt to trends, changes in the market and customer feedback will decide the brand's future in the marketplace. Gathering feedback from consumers and tracking your brand's performance is something you must not forget. If you’re consistently underperforming, you may find that your strategies are not working and need to be shifted to something more agreeable to the customer. Rebrands are not always wrong; they can help in the long run, but they must be appropriately planned; the more significant the change, the more thought needs to be put into the rebranding effort. They should be based on customer feedback to have the intended impact.
For example, look at the Twitter to X rebrand. Having purchased the company, Elon Musk decided to change the name from Twitter to X. This confused users, as the Twitter landscape and branding made sense, with the name Twitter, with a bird-shaped logo and individual posts called tweets. The change to X only changed the name and logo without providing a new name for posts. This left users to continue using the name tweet for their posts, creating a problem for X, as leftovers of the old branding were still present after the rebrand.

For an example of successful rebranding, look no further than the Dunkin’ Donuts to Dunkin’ change. Dunkin’ Donuts intended to become a brand known more for their drinks than donuts, which they have since succeeded in. They are a top choice amongst coffee consumers, and they got there simply by solidifying the nickname consumers gave them. By omitting the word donuts, they could shift focus to the chain as a whole rather than the donuts themselves. Along with the rebranding came a shift to offering more types of coffee drinks while keeping their donut options at the same scale.

Branding is more than a logo; it's your brand’s voice in a crowded market. From market research to adaptive (re)branding, each step solidifies your identity. In a world of choices, effective branding is the compass that guides your business to recognition and lasting impact.