7 Reasons Why Branding is Imperative for Business Growth
If you're in charge of growing a business, then you know that there are a lot of factors to consider. How do you reach more customers? How do you differentiate yourself from the competition? And perhaps most importantly, how do you ensure that your business is around for the long haul? The answer to all of these questions lies in branding. Here are 7 reasons why a solid branding strategy is essential for business growth:
1. Branding builds trust
2. Branding creates loyalty
3. Branding differentiates you from the competition.
4. Branding drives business growth
5. Branding builds employee engagement
6. Branding attracts top talent
7. Branding protects your business in tough times
1. Branding builds trust
Customers are more likely to do business with companies that they trust. A strong brand lets potential customers know that they can count on your company to deliver on its promises. Also, a brand with a clearly defined purpose will attract and retain its desired customer base. With the increasing social pressures of society for companies to conduct ethical business practices, having a business purpose that either helps the environment or people in society is a step in the right direction.
2. Branding creates loyalty
Once customers trust your brand, they are more likely to be loyal to it. In fact, according to a study by Forrester Research, “emotional attachment” to a brand is one of the key drivers of customer loyalty. Also, repeat customers are cheaper to retain compared to attracting new customers. A loyal customer base also helps to drive the perception and external culture of your brand.
3. Branding differentiates you from the competition
In today's marketplace, there are very few products or services that are truly unique. That's why it's so important to make sure that your brand stands out from the rest. A strong brand will help potential customers remember your company when they're ready to make a purchase. A strong brand presence also keeps your business, product, or service at top-of-mind.
4. Branding drives business growth
According to a study by Bain & Company, “brands that have maintained their constancy of purpose while adapting their practices along the way have created significantly more value than both their industry averages and stock market indices over time." In other words, businesses with strong brands tend to outperform their competitors financially.
5. Branding builds employee engagement.
Engaged employees lead to better customer experiences, which leads to increased sales and profit margins. In fact, according to Gallup, engaged employees can increase profits by as much as 21%.
6. Branding attracts top talent
Top talent wants to work for companies with strong brands because they know that these companies are more likely to be financially successful and offer career stability. Branding is not just an effort to attract customers (external), one must keep in mind the advantages of having a strong internal brand presence. Developing & growing a company culture creates a sense of employee pride and buy-in, and this leads to higher levels of productivity. In addition to this, utilizing team-building exercises (whatever they may be) helps the company culture grow from the inside out. You want buy-in and input from your employees, and you want them to feel that they have the power and ability to help shape the company that they are spending 8 hours a day working for.
7. Branding protects your business in tough times
Recessions: strong brands weather these tough times because customers are more likely to stick with companies that they know and trust—companies with strong brands. According to Interbrand, “During the last recession, unbranded companies' value plummeted 27% while branded companies' value only fell 6%.” This means that if you want your business to survive a recession, then you need to focus on building a strong brand.
As you can see, branding is essential for business growth. If you want your company to be successful in the long term, then you need to focus on building a strong brand. Luckily, there are plenty of resources available to help you get started. So what are you waiting for? Start building your brand today!
