Marketing and Branding
‍

Starting a business, there are so many words being thrown around, and it can be hard to keep up with them at times. These two concepts, in particular, tend to get mixed up together- marketing and branding. So when should you focus on one or the other?

Overall truth, is that marketing and branding are two different concepts. Understanding how to use both effectively will take your business on the right path.

So, why are branding and marketing important? Which one is more important? Which comes first and which comes second?

PICTURE OF BRANDING VS MARKETING

‍

Defining marketing and branding

-------------------

Let’s first start with the main difference between the two, branding is defining what your company is and what it stands for. Marketing on the other hand is actively using a set of tools to prompt your product or service.

Marketing consists of anything that ends in marketing, social media marketing, email marketing, telemarketing, etc. When you think of marketing, think of it as an action to get your customer’s attention so they can buy your service or product.

Branding is the concept of shaping your brand and constructing the purpose of your brand. Branding is your company’s missions, values, expectations, and why customers should choose you compared to your competitors. Important elements of branding are your logo, foundation, and your website. This concept is why customers will come back to use your product or service.

Think of it as Lulu lemons, their brand would be the comfortable leggings they provide - and the marketing effort would be the action the businesses take to make a customer visit your store.

Branding starts

When Marketing stops

----------------

The first thing you need to do is understand why you built your business. You will need to understand the purpose of your business and its core of it. Ask yourself:

• What makes me different from my competitors?
• How can my product or service help people?
• What kind of personality do I want to have?
  ‍

Choose your voice

After defining why you built your business, figure out how to attach the values, message, and ideas to the company’s foundation. At this point, answer the following questions:

• What is my company’s personality?
• What do I want people to view me as?
• Will I be able to deliver my message and purpose?
  

Showing consistency in your personality will show customers that you are true to your brand. It shows the passion that you have for your product and service which will earn your customer’s loyalty.

Culture and values

The next steps of branding would be outlining your values and defining your culture. Constructing a good set of values will help you stay consistent and they will eventually become the foundation of your business. Defining your culture will help you determine your organization’s integrity, this means the happiness of your employees. It is important to establish your culture because it will make your business stronger and your process more efficient.

Communication‍

Now that you have established your brand, you will now decide how to bring awareness to it. The previous steps will play a huge role in determining how you want to communicate with your customers. Following these tips will help plan your strategies:

• Let clients know the benefits of working with you.
• Is your target audience the appropriate age for the product and service you provide?
• Follow through with your mission statement.
• Your marketing efforts, and what goals do you have?

‍