Why Branding Isn’t an Exact Science
Look up information on branding online and you’ll find tons of information that seems definitive. There is no shortage of experts out there with detailed advice on what you should be doing to build up your identity in the marketplace. Some of the information is good, while some pieces might not be as useful or relevant.
Even though the advice comes from experts, it shouldn’t be surprising that the results are mixed. For one thing, branding and marketing are reactive exercises. You have to adjust to what customers are thinking, competitors are doing, etc.
In a bigger-picture sense, it’s even more important to recognize that branding isn’t an exact science. What works in one situation won’t necessarily apply in another. And, what made for a smart strategy yesterday could be less valuable today. If you doubt that, just ask the entrepreneurs who have missed out on search engine optimization, social media, mobile advertising, and other current trends.
If branding isn’t science, though, how can you formulate a winning strategy? We are glad you asked, because we’re going to give you some of our favorite tips to get ahead…
Start with Proven Principles
Anytime you don’t know the answers to a question or problem, it’s best to begin with past results and experiences. In other words, you make educated guesses based on what you used in order to be successful in your own history or you’ve seen work for others.
In branding, there are a lot of proven principles – particularly around visual identity, design, and messaging – that should almost always be followed. By hiring the right creative team, you can color between the lines when it matters and know which rules to break when it makes sense.
Trust Your Gut and Make Educated Guesses
With the point about tradition and best practices having been made, let’s get to another obvious truth: you have to trust your gut and use common sense. All the theory and experience in the world won’t help you if you aren’t paying close attention to what’s happening in the market.
This is where clients are invaluable in the brand creation process. They might not have been to design school, but they do know what their customers are concerned about and the different ways they stack up with the competition. Those insights are crucial when you’re trying to build a winning brand that will resonate with customers.
Measure and Follow the Market
The third step in the process is where everything comes together. You put together your best ideas, based on both knowledge and instinct, and start launching elements of your brand. Then, you watch what happens and adjust your approach accordingly.
The best businesses follow a results-driven philosophy. They might work on research and hunches, but they can change course when market conditions dictate a new plan of action. Just like your company, your branding effort should always be growing and shifting over time to adapt to new challenges and opportunities.
Do You Have a Branding and Marketing Plan That Makes Sense?
Success in any area of business is unlikely to come to you by accident. If you don’t know where you’re at, what you’re trying to achieve, or how you’re going to get there, then it’s hard to make any progress.
This is an important thing to remember because a lot of business owners and executives drift from one marketing fad or campaign to the next without any long-term vision. If that describes the way you’ve been working, we want to help.
Contact Logo Design NYC today so we can schedule a consultation and put you on the path to greater brand recognition and profitability!