Branding & Marketing Defined, and how to fuse them together for maximum results

Simply put, your “brand” or corporate image is the impression formed at every point of contact with your prospects and clients.

The dictionary definition of “branding” usually refers to the name and image of a product or service. However, in the business world we take it a few steps further. BNET defines branding as:

a means of distinguishing one firm's products or services from another's and of creating and maintaining an image that encourages confidence in the quality and performance of that firm's products or services.

We like this definition much better! It accurately describes the overall effect, goals and purpose of branding.

So how does branding affect marketing?

Ah, the great marketing/branding debate. We at ImageWorks Studio have long argued that marketing and branding are very similar and are, in fact, dependent on one another. We prefer the term “Brarketing,” a successful fusion of branding and marketing to promote and create value in a company’s products and services. Branding has slowly moved away from packaging and naming, into the realm of marketing. After all, to successfully brand a product or service, you have to market it well, and vice versa. Hence “Brarketing.”

The American Marketing Association’s new definition of marketing is as follows. (Notice that it sounds a LOT like branding.)

Marketing is an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders.

So think of branding as the creation/re-creation of tools and media used for marketing purposes and marketing as the planned execution of those tools and media.

Corporate Identity and the Importance of Branding Perception is everything in the business world. Advertising professionals call it “outside perception” when it’s in the eyes of the customer. Everything that comes in contact with customers — brochures, direct mail, Web sites, advertisements, presentations, e-mails, signs, exhibits, salespeople, etc. — helps them form an opinion, good or bad, of your company.

Your brand begins with your logo, also known as your “mark.”

“Your logo is often where a prospect’s first impression of your business starts, and sadly, in many cases, ends.”

Scott Margenau, President of ImageWorks Studio A prospect should be impressed by your logo and be able to easily figure out what your company does. Your tag line should further define your market niche and stimulate the prospect’s curiosity.

A successful branding program is multidimensional, emphasizing the total customer experience. Companies often focus on a specific marketing project and forget the total package. Your brand must convince your prospects that you are the clear-cut choice to fulfill their expectations. This leads to credibility and anticipation, which will give you a huge advantage when it comes to converting sales.

ImageWorks can help you build a brand from the ground up or to rebrand a “tired” or outdated corporate image. Follow the links below to get started. To contact ImageWorks visit them at www.brandsthatsell.com Scott C. Margenau is president of ImageWorks Studio, an award-winning marketing, branding and advertisng firm specializing in online and off-line media. Visit http://www.brandsthatsell.com/ for more info.

Branding & Marketing Defined, and how to fuse them together for maximum results - To learn more about this author, visit Scott C. Margenau's Website.

Like this article? Share it with your friends

E-Mail | Print | More

Related Articles
The definition of branding
	One of my readers pointed out that they really appreciated the definition of marketing that I use throughout Duct Tape Marketing. Marketing is getting someone who has a need to know, like and trust you. Most small b...
Building A Better Brand in the New Year
	The new year is well underway and many of us have been using the start of the new year to review, refine and/or restart various things in our businesses. For this article I want to concentrate on writing to encourag...
Fusion Marketing
	The key to successful guerrilla marketing is in embracing not the concept of competition, but the beauty and advantage of cooperation. Fuse for fun & profit.
Personal Branding Tip
	Personal Branding Tip: We have moved from a selling world to a buying world. People want to do their homework and then make a decision. That’s where branding comes in. Branding is More Important than Sales. Sales is...
Real Estate Marketing - How To Increase Your Real Estate Sales With Search Engine Optimization
	Search engine optimization for real estate allows greater visibility of your real estate website on the search engine results, thereby enhancing your real estate business.

---

Related Forum Posts
	New Small Business Topic
	Re: Best Internet Marketing Strategy
	Re: Mompreneur Magazine - good read
	Dan Kennedy on Direct Marketing
	How would you win this eBay auction?
	Del Castienne - International Business and Project Brokers
	Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional
	Offline Marketing V/S Online Marketing