Branding is about substance not cosmetics
WRITTEN BY
Rakesh Raval
Creative Director
Branding is not only about cosmetics, it’s about continuous improvement.
Every client comes to us for strong brand presence, but very few comes to build it. Because every client has their own definition of “brand”. And most of them believes that, just stuff the environment with aesthetically pleasant creatives and shout more about your brand so you can get everyone’s attention. Is it so simple?
Branding is not so simple, it’s slow, steady and continuous process of improvement. It’s not about what you are thinking or telling about your brand but, it’s about what end-user or client says or think about your brand. You have to gain the trust of your client, and for that their experience of your brand must be beyond their imagination.
And for that we have to master all the aspects of business. Here are some major aspects which can build your brand.
- Vision Mission
- Product or Service
- Environment and Culture
- Public Relation
Let’s look at them closely…
Vision Mission:
These two very familiar words repeatedly used meaninglessly in every collateral of each brand. Because whatever we write in that, we never try to protect them above anything else. Sometimes we don’t care for them, our vision and mission is only more money, more profit nothing else.
So, the first step is clear your vision and craft a mission beyond oneself, not only mission statements! If you cannot think beyond yourself, you can’t grow beyond yourself. And follow your vision and mission religiously, don’t ever compromise on them.
Product or Service:
This the core of your business, and it’s all about quality. Quality that stands out! Your product or service must have something different to offer, otherwise no one will come to you. Whenever you think to change or modifications of product or service, first think about users. Don’t compromise your product or service for profit, it will hurt your brand in long way.
Spent in innovation and research, so every time you come up with better product or service. This is the heart of the brand it must be pumping continuous with fresh energ.
Environment and Culture:
This is the source of energy for heart to pump continuously. If you have pleasant environment and positive culture, where everyone enjoys their work and feel safe pride, it will directly impact to their creativity, productivity and sustainability.
The other aspect of this is, it effects to client also. Whenever they interact with your brand, they must get feeling of co-operation and humility and must get solution for what they interacting. Sometime they can’t explain the problem but we better understand our product/service, so go beyond traditional way and solve it proactively. This will make everlasting effect on client’s psyche and this will generate real reviews (not google review) to their nearest and dearest.
Public Relation:
We know it as PR, and it’s right now a tool to create demand in market and to know potential of market for your product/service. But can we call it relation?
In India every businessman (specially marwadi, gujarati) believes that, relation is the foundation of business. Love and care for your client and trust and pride for your vendor is in-built in word “relation”, And this is the actual PR when your client feel pride and be sure about you and your brand. And this will make you different from your competitors.
In short branding is whatever you do for your brand, do it with devotional attitude, with love and passion that’s how you can reach quality and inspire others to do so. Business is process not an entity, a living brand is a pattern of behavior, not stylistic cosmetics. We have just try to give a perspective, this is just a glance, there are so many other aspects but once we get the point of view, we can deal with them.
So, it’s a journey and zero designs is always there to help you on every mile-stone…
