Let’s clear up some misconceptions.

The broad nature of branding has led to a lot of unrealistic and strange expectations about the process and results of branding a business. We are going to clear some misconceptions about branding that most entrepreneurs have.

Misconception 1: Branding is a one-time deal.

Many startups think branding is a one-time deal. Once I have a website, a logo, and social media content, my business is done with branding- this is a wrong mentality. That isn’t to say that all businesses need an extensive branding campaign but if you are reading this, then chances are you are looking to take over the world and be a market leader in your industry. If that is so, then you need to rethink your perception of branding. If you want to become a market leader, you’re going to need to invest in intentional consistent branding & brand engagement. Success just won’t happen without it.

Reality Check: You never stop branding.

You are always going to need to shape how your customers and target market perceive your business, this is mostly as a result of changes in the business and technology industry. Take a look at the biggest brands in the world, their logo designs have been changing over the years with Google taking lead in this category. Nike hasn’t always been a fitness brand. Nike was more known to be a sports brand but in recent times, the company has positioned itself to be the World’s leading fitness and sports brand. If you are looking to become a market leader, building a consistent and continuously improving brand is a strategy that you can’t afford to miss.

Misconception 2: Branding Will Make My Business Successful.

To have a successful business, you have to have a great product, or service, that solves a real problem, or people want to buy. If your business idea sucks, or your product just isn’t any good, no amount of professional branding or positioning will fix that. And expecting it to is ludicrous. Growing a successful business is hard, really hard. Business success comes down to the product or service, combined with the marketing, combined with timing, combined with your branding. But no amount of branding is going to make your business successful on its own.

Sure: You can build a brand around any business, but branding isn’t going to help you succeed if you don’t deserve it, or put in the hard work that it takes.

Reality Check: Branding Will “Help” Grow Your Business.

Providing a unique service or product that solves a real problem, or is a desirable lifestyle brand and building a brand around that can help grow your business. Your business needs to be right first before you start the branding process. And that’s why at Workspace Global, we start everything with a brand discovery session which is free by the way. A brand discovery session helps us check that everything is in line before any work is started.

So how can branding help grow your business? Professional branding builds:

• Recognition

• Trust

• Loyalty

Which is what keeps customers coming back. People like familiar brands they recognize, and trust. If you have a brand that’s positioned to capitalize on the right audience, that goes ahead and delivers on its promise, and looks great, then you are on your way to building a successful brand.

Misconception 3: Branding is Easy, Anyone Can Do It

Of all the misconceptions, this final one is the most dangerous and widely practiced. Most entrepreneurs assume that graphic designers are all you need to build a brand. There is the misconception that branding is all about having attractive flyers and posters, Branding = Graphic Designs.

Branding is closer to marketing than design. Branding is about managing perceptions, how people view your business, how you can reach your target audience, and market to them successfully. It’s about finding the right strategy and visuals that will appeal to your target audience while remaining true to your mission and vision. Branding is not all about designs.

Reality Check: Branding is a Professional Service, and Should Be Treated as Such.

Like law and accounting, building a brand for your business is a specialized field and should only be handled by experts/professionals. Creating a brand that supports and helps to grow your business is a time-consuming process that can often last anywhere between 4 and 12 weeks, depending on the size of the project. Usually, after a brand discovery that introduces your business to Workspace Global, we create an identity that works to tell the brand mission and Brand Story. This includes all the brand visuals such as

• A Corporate profile, which is very essential to getting new businesses and contracts.

• A Brand guide that outlines how your brand colors, fonts, and styles should be used appropriately for maximum effectiveness.

• A social media content strategy document and many more.

We also look at all the digital marketing and offline marketing strategy that will work best for your business and encompass all into a big brand strategy that delivers the best results for your business. Take a look at some of our branding success stories.

Some people just won’t invest or don’t think they need to invest. And that’s fine. But we know it’s a mistake. Branding will work as a strategy for almost any business. It might not be the highest up on the list of priorities, but it will still work. If you do decide to brand your business professionally, do it as soon as you can afford to. Don’t delay.

Start building your brand’s worth from day one. It’ll serve you well in the long run.

We are also in the process of repositioning our business, take a minute to look at our new website. We practice what we preach.

Let me leave you with this quote from the Renowned Brand Expert, David Brier; ‘If you don’t give the market the story to talk about, they’ll define your brand’s story for you.’’