Branding Basics

What is Branding?

The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers."

Your brand is more than a logo and company name - it's the way your customers and prospects identify your business, products, services, and their impression of your organization. Solid branding confirms your credibility, creates recognition, positions your organization ahead of the competition, reinforces your reputation, and builds customer loyalty.

A brand consists of numerous elements, all of which join together to create consumers' impression of your organization. Brand elements include:

Visual Qualities Perceptual Qualities
Logo, Signature Colors, Tagline Quality, Presence, Reputation, Benefits, Pricing, Value, Character


Why is Branding Important?

Your brand creates an awareness of your organization and helps consumers understand the distinctive qualities which make you better than your competition. Advertising clutter and seemly endless choices offered in every product and service industry make standing out from the competition more important than ever. In an economy where we're all fighting for limited consumer dollars, standing head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd is your best growth strategy.

Taking Care of Your Brand

Regularly review your brand to ensure it is doing the most for your organization. Invite key personnel in your organization to sit down for a brand strategy session. Use this opportunity to review and discuss the following: Does your logo appeal to your target audience? Does it project a feeling of quality, value, and superiority to your competitors?
 

  • Do your marketing materials reflect the level of quality of products and services you offer and the quality of your organization?

     
  • Does your organization take every opportunity to can to place your brand in front of existing and potential clients?


Take stock of how your brand is perceived and set a corrective course if your brand is not doing everything for you that it could be.

Dorene Taylor is the owner of Digital Fusion Group. Ms. Taylor has been working with both private and public sector clients since 1988 to create powerful communications and marketing tools for their organizations. Ms. Taylor applies a unique combination of program management, marketing, and technical skills to produce materials accurately reflecting her clients' vision. Her professional experience spans both traditional and new media methods for delivering marketing messages with clear and compelling value propositions.
 

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