Your brand is more than meets the eye.

A director once said in front of me ‘really, our brand is just our logo’, he wasn't talking to me, and certainly wasn’t looking for a response from the marketing manager he was addressing. I think my face kept it together, but who knows. 

This was a respected, successful company director, of a very large business, OK not a brand or marketing director, but still. Unfortunately, this wasn’t my first time, and these comments highlight how misunderstood and overlooked the concept of brand is by some senior management, probably the same people overseeing budgets and ultimately deciding how much is spent on ‘brand’.

Your brand is so much more than just a logo. In fact, it encompasses every interaction, impression, and experience associated with your business. Your brand is key to building trust, connecting with customers, and standing out in a crowded marketplace.

Your brand is your personality. Just like on a personal level when you meet someone new and make a quick judgement on them: Are they like me? Do they share my values? Will we get on? Your first opinion is made up of dozens of obvious and less-obvious signals, from the sort of shoes someone wears to the words they use, or how they treat others. Customers do the same with your business. Your brand is your business’s personality that shapes these initial impressions and builds the foundation for trust.

Recognition, the power of familiarity

We all tend to trust what is familiar, even when information may be limited or conflicting. Building recognition is a vital step in establishing trust with your audience. By consistently exposing your business to potential customers in the right way and in the right places, you create a sense of familiarity. Whether it’s through targeted advertising, social media presence, or local community involvement, recognition forms the bridge between strangers and loyal customers.

Consistency, the glue that binds everything together

Recognition goes hand in hand with consistency. A consistent brand experience reinforces your messaging, tone, and purpose across all touchpoints. It means using the same logo and colours on your website, emails, and printed materials. It means creating documents in a consistent format and maintaining a unified tone in customer interactions. When your marketing, advertising, PR efforts, and brand exercises are in sync, you provide a reliable and cohesive brand experience that customers can trust.

Values and integrity

Today, customers are increasingly drawn to brands that align with their values. Whether those values are social, environmental, or simply a way of doing things, they play a significant role in their decision making. 

But values are not just for office walls, or mission statements, if you believe in them, if they’re authentic, then live them. They should live at the core of your business, every decision you make, and action you take should align with them. 

By delivering on your values and integrity, you can establish a powerful connection with your target audience, your staff, your partners, your suppliers. At Integral, we strive to make our values evident to all. We believe in honesty, straightforwardness, and accountability. We prioritise transparency, even if it means sacrificing short-term gains. This commitment builds trust and fosters long-term relationships, we have client and partner relationships that breach two decades.

So, remember that your brand is more than just a logo. It’s more than your visual identity. It encompasses every facet of your business, shaping how customers perceive and connect with you. Your brand is a combination of consistent messaging, values, and trust-building efforts that go beyond superficial elements. It’s about creating a personality and identity that resonates with your target audience.

In essence, your brand represents who you are and what you stand for. So, invest time and effort in developing a strong, authentic brand that reflects your business’s values, resonates with your audience, and builds lasting connections. Embrace the power of a comprehensive brand strategy, and watch your business thrive.