Well, yes and no. Your logo is part of your branding, but it is not your brand. There are many different facets that come together holistically to create your brand. Your brand is a mix of how you present your business to the community and how your business is perceived by that community.
The perception of your business and the way that people talk about your business are important aspects of your brand. You can also think of your brand as something that triggers a memory or a feeling in people. For example, when you think of Zaraffa’s, do you instantly imagine your favourite coffee? Can you smell the coffee aroma? Does it make you think of the nearest Zaraffa’s and how long it will take you to get there?
You see, branding can be evocative, but that emotion can be positive or negative. To help you put this all in perspective, here are three main areas of your business that are seen as your brand within the community:
- People: Every single person in your business represents your brand and every one of their interactions with the public provides additional information about your brand to the community. From the CEO down to the janitor, every person in your business must stand behind your brand and present a positive attitude to others.
- Products: It goes without saying that your brand is represented by your products and services, and these must not only be exemplary, but also provide the consumer with a solution to their problem. Your product must have a definitive point of difference with the competition, otherwise, why are you in business? It is this difference that can become associated with your brand.
- Marketing: From your store’s décor, stationary and employee uniforms, to your website, logo and product packaging, everything you put in front of the consumer is your brand. It all melds together into the public’s idea and opinion of your business.
It is not good enough to simply believe that your logo is your brand and forget everything else. Your brand is an entity itself, one that every part of your business breathes life into or sucks the life out of, if you don’t get it right. So while logo design is of course extremely important in order to project the right image for your business, it’s not the be-all-and-end-all.
For more information on marketing or branding your business or on web design in Brisbane, call GO Creative on (07) 3333 2932 or request a free quote online.
