Brand Communication

There's an ever increasing demand in the world of entrepreneurship today. It is called BRANDING. Like a gem kept in a robe of fascinating colors, every business is wrapped within a robe called BRANDING. The success however is determined by the knowledge or ignorance of the business owner. We saw this rising need and conducted a seminar at MANICLEWORLD on BRANDING COMMUNICATION. It was mouthwatering, so we felt a need to share the information with you too. 

WHAT BRANDING IS NOT

First, branding is not your logo, your logo is ONLY a component of your brand. Also, your logo is only a means to communicate your brand.

Branding is not your business name, your business name is just like your name. Your name is not equal to the fact that you are human, your name is suggestive of your humanity. It's what differentiates you from other humans, it is unique to you.

What makes Coca-Cola is not the name. Coca-Cola is a product, and the process of getting people to be aware of that product is what brand communication is. Change apple from being apple, it won't change the strength and capability of the product. Apple is apple because of the product.

BRAND COMMUNICATION

In essence, don't build a beautiful edifice on a sandy ground. The beautiful edifice is what people call brand while the foundation is the product. Good products make good brands and not vice versa. The reason why I believe in Jesus is simply because the product (which is Himself) has proved to be a reliable product. If not, I could have worshipped Sango. So, your brand is not the name or Logo, your brand is the content you offer: what people can get from you, the quality of what you give. Aways remember that, the best business strategy is quality product and/or service.

I see entrepreneurs these days wanting to spend much time on the face of their business without first of all working on their product. The unfortunate thing about such endeavour is that, such business fizzles out when people can not trust it. I'd rather buy from Leke Alder, not just because he has stayed long, but because he has proved himself as someone with something substantial to offer.

Also, never forget that the mode of communication is as important as what is being communicated. Don't just do quality branding, do quality service. This goes to anyone as an individual or as a company.

WHY YOU NEED TO BRAND

Your brand is a statement of your Unique Selling Point (USP). This is your market differentiation, this is your marketing strategy and it states why I should buy from you rather than from another person.

Think Apple, Coca-Cola, Omo, D and G, Tecno, Gionee. What comes to mind when you first see any of these product?

When you think Apple, you think of class, durability, respect, etc. When you think of Omo, you think of the fact that your cloth is clean. When you think of Coca-Cola, you see refreshment. When you think of tecno, you think of affordability and strength. The same goes with Gionee.

These features are what make them stand out. You may not know that it's the reason you're buying it, but they've successfully lured you into buying it and you can as well see it in its quality. Consequently, your product is as important as the way you communicate it.

Lastly on this topic of brand communication, I will share some pieces of advice about brand communication.

1. If you have gotten your product ready and you're serious about it, then pay the expert to brand you. Spend the money.

2. Even if you are a branding company, let some other person brand you. You know why? Branding is not about you, it is about the perspective of your market. Sometimes you might be biased when you brand yourself.

3. Develop an efficient brand communication strategy. One of such strategies answers questions like:

Who are your audience?
What is their demography?
What motivates them to buy?
What is their psychography? (how do they think?)

Sincere answer to these questions will tell you what to do.

4. Remember, branding does not mean that people will buy from you. Communicating your brand is like a storage system in the minds of your audience, it comes to the fore whenever your product is mentioned.

5. Never stop reinventing yourself and the company. This is done by reading books and more books.

Finally, remember the words of one of the greatest scientists and political leaders of all time, Benjamin Franklin: "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest "

Kola Johnson.