Branding is usually misunderstood as the aesthetic element of a company’s visual identity. Many people limit branding to the name, logo, layout, packages design or website designs. While this could have been true in the 80s, the concept of branding has evolved significantly in the last few years. It expanded to include more aspects of the company’s perception in the minds of its clients and its brand proposition.
First let us revisit, what is branding?
Branding creates a robust and positive perception of a company, its services or product in the client’s mind by integrating visual features like the logo, photography style, themes, and colors with its tone of voice, mission and marketing content. It helps companies distinguish themselves from competitors and build a loyal client base.
Seth Godin, a best-selling marketing author and entrepreneur, defines it as “A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.”
So, what is a brand proposition?
A brand proposition is a concept that emphasizes the distinctive characteristics of a company. It is NOT the logo, slogan, or tagline.
Although those features contribute to the concept, the proposition is the company’s unique selling edge that the company will promise its audience on how they can solve their pains or satisfy their needs.
A brand proposition is a result of digging into the problems that your clients are facing that you want to solve. It reveals the features that make you the right product or service for them. It is the essence of an effective marketing plan. Brand proposition supports driving customer loyalty and revenue by underlining what your company stands for.
Why is branding important?
Your brand is your asset
A brand is an asset; you often hear of brands being sold for over their cost price just because of what they represent and their brand proposition. While any shoes will do the job and protect your feet, Adidas, Nike, and Puma may sell for 3 times more the cost because of the brand’s promise.
What a company presents to the clients through their virtual or on ground existence is a huge part of the business identity. Its worth may exceed the revenues of the business.
Attract new clients
Your brand will help a business revenue and its sales by attracting new clients. Clients usually are encouraged to try new products based on its branding and brand proposition. A brand that promises luxury, should have luxury as their brand proposition in every aspect, the look and feel of their website, shops, tone of voice of their content, even the attitude of the employees.Your brand experience, tell your customer about the type of company you are.
Good work environment
According to Forbes, strong branding delivers great value to the company’s work environment too. It gives employees a purpose and direction on how to work and helps them feel a part of a team with a greater purpose. It is also a great tool to get employees to feel like it is more than just a job, and motivate them.
Branding can have many forms in the work environment like branded clothing and office tools, the look of the office space and even in the way employees work together. Moreover, it contributes to the attraction of good talents.
Builds emotional connection and trust
The buying process is an emotional experience and having a powerful brand enables people to feel good emotionally when they buy or engage with a business.
It helps the business earn and maintains a specific level of trust between it and its stakeholders. This is achieved after establishing a realistic and attainable brand promise.
How to create a brand proposition?
Identifying a good brand proposition is one of the most challenging exercises businesses have to go through, and it is the foundation for the success of the brand. Great brand propositions must be clear and compelling, avoid business jargon and most importantly, easy to understand.
Here are F360 tips for a strong brand proposition:
- Determine your ideal client and try to convince them why they should buy from you and not your competition.
- Emphasize the distinctive advantages you can offer them—for instance, cutting edge technology, better customer experience, and outstanding after-sale support.
- Clarify how you can solve their problems or pains and improve their lives in some way.
If you are starting a new business, going through rebranding or even want to strengthen your brand proposition in the market, F360 is here to help. Our marketing team will join forces with our production team to come up with the perfect customized branding plan for you. Check our Digital Marketing Plan services and start building your brand.