What Is Branding and Why Is It So Important?

As a Graphic Designer you get asked a lot of the same questions, but I get asked the same question daily, "What is branding?" Branding is defined as the marketing practice of creating a name, symbol, or design that identifies and differentiates a product from other products. Constantly I am asked if "a brand" is "a logo design." Yes and no. Your logo design is a part of your brand, but branding is more than just a logo design. Think of your logo as the symbol that represents your brand.

Branding is the whole package. It's your logo, it's your website, it's the business cards you present to someone, it's the way you conduct yourself on social media, it's the images you share with people, it's how you interact. Your brand is what encourages people to listen to you, to stick around, and most importantly it's what someone is going to use to make the decision to work with you.

So think of it like the logo is the shirt you wear that makes someone stop to look at you, and then your brand is your heart, soul, and mind that draws someone in and holds their interest. So if your shirt says, "Crunchy Mom" or "Holistic Parenting" who are you most likely to have stop and chat with you about your shirt? Other crunchy/holistic parents. Now if your shirt says "Crunchy Mom" and someone stops to talk with you and you tell them that your kids eat McDonald's 6-nights a week (no judgement moms, parenting is tough!) that crunchy mom who stopped to talk to you likely isn't going to stick around. I promise I have a point to make and it wasn't just to make you want nuggets (and this is in no way sponsored by McDonald's) but the point I'm making is, is that you want your logo and brand to be consistent, and at the very heart of your brand - you have to have the core values and purpose defined.

Your brand is so important because it is what is going to determine if someone will become your client or not. Don't get me wrong, there is more to getting customers and loyal client bases than just a good brand (get ready to put in the man hours) but a good brand can make or break your business or enterprise.

By the end of this you may be wondering if you should consider re-branding. Maybe your sales or low, maybe you get a lot of views but little conversion, or maybe you're just not sure at all. Don't worry because I have put together a free guide to help you figure out if re-branding may be something to consider.