What is branding?
Branding is the process of creating and establishing an identity for a product, service or company. There are various tangible elements of branding to consider including the brand name, logo, colour schemes, fonts and slogans. It’s also important to consider how your tone of voice, your brand personality and your values allow you to stand out in the market. Building a brand is about creating a unique and recognisable identity that resonates with the target audiences.
The importance of branding
Creating the right branding is crucial because it determines how you are perceived by the outside world and your desired audiences. It can help differentiate you from your competitors and make your business or organisation more appealing and interesting than your rivals’. If your brand isn’t clear or doesn’t engage the right people, then you’re less likely to garner interest or attention from your target audience, meaning you might lose out on that all-important emotional connection and ultimately brand loyalty.
What is positioning?
Positioning means defining where your brand sits in the market and how it is perceived in relation to its competitors. It is essentially the strategic effort to create a distinct place for a product or brand in the minds of target audiences within a competitive marketplace. It involves ensuring you can occupy a distinct space in the minds of your audience by tailoring communications and marketing to resonate with them specifically, leading to increased market share and revenue, differentiation and relevance. Customers, prospects, press, review sites and even rivals can validate a brand’s positioning.
The importance of positioning
Positioning in marketing and communications is essential for creating a distinct identity that is recognisable to consumers, targeting the right audience, and being able to distinguish your product or brand from competitors. As your brand and product become more established and trusted, it becomes increasingly challenging for new entrants to disrupt your market presence as it already owns a place in the customer’s mind.
Difference between branding and positioning
Both branding and positioning are crucial for success, and they work together to create a powerful and effective marketing communications strategy. Put simply, branding means creating and maintaining the overall image and identity of a brand or product, whereas positioning refers to how that brand or product is perceived in relation to competitors.
However, positioning and branding work together to define your company or organisation’s story. Positioning steers you towards the market category you wish to dominate, while branding forges an emotional bond with your audience. A truly exceptional brand story seamlessly blends both elements.
**
If your company or organisation is looking for support with Branding and Positioning to help you differentiate yourself from your competitors and establish your place in the market, please get in touch at hello@pagefield.co.uk.
