Beefing Up Your Brand - It's More Than Just Your Logo

​by Skip Cohen

Even with seasonality ramping up, most of us are starting to think about the new year, now less than 100 days away. Along with a new year, there's a wide variety of things most business owners think about changing. From new pricing and extended services to website design and advertising, just to name a few, there's very little that doesn't get reviewed.

Advertising is one of those key areas that is always being monitored.  In the corporate world, a great ad often gets dropped because the manufacturer was tired of looking at it. What everyone forgets is how many times you have to hit a consumer before they remember your ad or your product. Often, there are still thousands of people out there who haven't seen the message.

Let's scale down the scope of possible changes and consider your logo. Years ago, there was a professional photographer who changed her logo three times over three years because she was tired of it. It wasn't as effective in building her brand as she thought it should be.  Meanwhile, every time she was starting to build up brand identity and a little momentum, she pulled the plug and essentially started over.  All because she was tired of the logo, but her fans weren't, and neither were all those people who had never seen it before.

It's a great thought for those moments when you have a little downtime, which is about to become few and far between with the seasonal ramp-up.  So, if you're thinking about creating a new look for your brand, seriously consider how much exposure you've given your brand to date.  Perhaps it's time to make a slight adjustment in your approach to the market, but then again, if you're doing it only because you're tired of it, remember that you're not your target audience.

​Even more important is thinking about what your brand represents, far beyond just your logo. Check out these eight A.I. points from Google on the qualities of a strong brand:

• Identity and Recognition: Branding uses elements like logos, colors, and consistent messaging to create a unique and memorable image, making a business identifiable in a crowded market. 
• Trust and Credibility: A consistent brand experience across all touchpoints helps build trust and credibility with the target audience, leading to greater customer confidence and loyalty. 
• Differentiation: Strong branding clearly communicates a company's unique selling proposition, helping it stand out from competitors and giving it a competitive edge. 
• Emotional Connection: Brands can connect with customers on an emotional level by communicating their values, personality, and stories, which helps create a loyal following. 
• Marketing Effectiveness: Memorable brands make marketing and advertising efforts more impactful and effective, as consumers are more likely to recall and remember brands they resonate with. 
• Customer Loyalty: By providing a consistent and trustworthy experience, strong branding cultivates customer loyalty, which is essential for long-term business success and retention. 
• Perceived Value: Effective branding can enhance the perceived value of products and services, making customers more willing to pay a premium for offerings from a trusted brand. 
• Business Value and Expansion: A robust brand serves as a solid foundation for growth, instilling confidence in consumers and encouraging them to explore new products or markets under the established brand name. 

You might need to make some changes, but the reality is that there's so much more to building strong brand awareness than just your logo!