How branding can help you grow your business

"The chance to make a memory is the essence of brand marketing."

Steve Jobs

Historically, the word "branding" originated from the earlier branding, in which objects or even animals were marked with a sign in order to clearly and unmistakably enable belonging to their owner. Even back then, it was about clearly distinguishing things from others and labeling them clearly. Today, the term branding is understood to mean the entire and constantly ongoing process of building and developing a brand that represents a company or a product or service with all its properties, values ​​and distinguishing features on the market and distinguishes it from its competitors. This is far from just about digital measures, but rather all confidence-building and value-added measures that help to anchor a corporate or personal brand in people's minds when they think of a solution to a specific problem.

What added value does branding deliver?

Specifically, when we use the term "branding" we speak with PIXIT as a design agency for digital branding of increasing brand value and trust in the expertise of the provider and the long-term acquisition of better customers and employees for our own company. It is therefore important for us to clearly position a company with its brand as an expert on the market, to differentiate it visually and communicatively from other providers and to charge the brand emotionally so that it remains anchored in the target group’s memory in the long term and is properly associated. This requires a constant process of further development and the establishment of a profound understanding of the target group. Branding also helps you save valuable time in your sales pitches because your customers already perceive you as a luminary and you don't have to do as much convincing. You also save on advertising costs through branding, since you generate more inquiries with the same investment and increase your return on advertising spend. We divide branding into several categories, more on that below.

Digital Branding

When we talk about digital branding, we mean all digital measures and assets whose goal and benefit is to enhance your own brand and position it as an expert on the market. The brand strategy always comes first, of course, in which the current status of a company and its competitors are analyzed and a design and communication strategy, including positioning and brand identity, is then developed.

Corporate Design

The corporate design, also known as brand design, includes all assets for the representation of the company, from the brand logo in all relevant variations to brand guidelines to the corporate materials for everyday business. In today's times of the variety of different digital channels, specially adapted logo variants are developed, while the core of the brand guidelines defines corporate colours, typography, symbols (icons), design elements, the visual language and brand website as well as all office materials - depending on the company size and degree of sharpness of the branding there can be defined much more here - from outdoor and vehicle advertising to motion design and video elements to audio logos, i.e. so-called sound marks.

Brand Website

The second important element is the brand website, also commonly known as the company website. It serves as a digital business card and aims to increase brand value, strengthen trust in your own brand and position the company as an expert on the market. There are a number of factors to consider for this - a high-quality design with razor-sharp, personal photos and a sales-psychologically optimized structure with case studies, customer opinions, interviews and storytelling are decisive for the sustained success of the brand website. Very closely related to this is copywriting - what advantage does the most beautiful website have, if the offer is not communicated clearly and precisely to the point and the visitor is not captivated by the flow of the language? The attention span decreases drastically due to the constantly increasing sensory overload, which is why professional texts are a must-have in online marketing. As an excellent supplement, we swear by so-called explanatory videos, which aim to explain our own offer in 90 seconds and persuade the visitor to make a purchase decision or an inquiry. Another important point is a blog, which can be used excellently for organic measures to increase visibility and for knowledge transfer.

Professional Photos

Content is king and so are photos. While stock photos are flooding the internet, personal photos are a great way to stand out from the crowd. After all, we don't want to use the same photo that we've already seen on numerous pages, but rather give a realistic insight into our own company and its culture in order to further convince potential buyers and encourage them to take action. It is particularly important to develop an image and photography style for the brand as early as the strategy phase, so that you can already tell from the photo which company it is.

Image Videos

In times when dynamics and motion enhance the aesthetics of every performance, the image video should not be missing. It should deliver the same effect as professional photos, just in moving form. The aim is not only to bring more dynamics to the website with an image video, but also to create a stylish impression in a short and crisp way and to give an insight into the premises, the people and the workflow in the company. The visitor should understand within a few seconds who is behind the brand and how the offer can help him. Here it is particularly important to ensure that the image style developed is applied throughout the entire production, that creative but not obtrusive film effects are skillfully integrated and that the memory size is kept as small as possible so that the video does not negatively affect performance.

Social Media

Like the brand website, the social media channels as a presentation medium are very important for the perceived brand value of the company. Potential customers find out very meticulously about you, your company and your offer - this means that every channel has to shine nowadays so that a customer ultimately decides for you. As on the website, it is crucial that you develop a strategy as to what content you show on your channels and define the quality of it. High-end photos with creative techniques and a touch of your personality as well as the right moving images should not be missing there either and must be supported by trust-building and knowledge-imparting content.

Paid Advertising

Digital advertising, performance ads or online marketing in general represents the last pillar and serves as a multiplier for all the measures mentioned above. You can think of it this way - first you build all the relevant assets and channels and level them up so that you are ready to attract the right customers to your offering. Then you go into visibility to increase the effect. While organic visibility through SEO works effectively, but is more expensive at the beginning and takes longer to get results, we recommend the paid advertising route first, which brings a much higher ROAS and serves you as a fly wheel or upward spiral to much faster growth. In order for the paid advertising to work, the right copy, optimally designed visuals and photos as well as selective targeting are extremely relevant.

If you would like to know what such a branding strategy can look like for your brand and which levers we would use for you to win better customers and significantly increase sales, then make an appointment for a free consultation online or in our design office in Wiener Neustadt, south of Vienna.

Offline Branding

While we've covered digital branding in the previous paragraphs, let's now look at some things that can and should be done outside of the digital world. The above measures are only of limited use if you don't pay attention to your branding offline. Let's see what's possible in this area.

Office

Your office is your base in which you, your team and your customers should feel comfortable. The interior should continue your design line and give you the right environment to achieve top performance. Creative spaces, quiet places and chill out areas should give you the right energy to get your maximum performance. It should help build a culture and create an atmosphere that inspires. Customers who visit you should feel the value of the brand and remember the visit as an unforgettable experience. The photos of your office should then convey the spirit in the digital world. You can also use exclusive room fragrances that cheer you up and contribute to a positive experience - well-known luxury brands show you how in their boutiques.

Equipment

Are you demanding and expect the best quality in products and services that you buy and consume? Then you should also live this culture with yourself and use the best equipment for your business, which gives you the most opportunities and the best results. For example, use Apple devices for your work, which are already emotionally charged in the mind and stand for quality and prestige. Use innovative software that is known for its quality and lets the customer know that you know what you are doing. Instead of recording everything on paper, use a tablet with a pen or, for presentations, a screen or a digital whiteboard instead of old-fashioned tools.

Clothing, jewelry and other accessories

It may sound superficial, but someone who really doesn't know you has only a few, mostly superficial possibilities for a first impression and this must be consistent with your communication. Everyone knows the saying "Clothes make people". If you're selling a premium offer, you have to place a high value on quality stuff yourself, and that starts with clothing that should match your branding and enhance your appearance. Jewelery and exclusive watches should not appear ostentatious, but should signal to your counterpart in which league you play and that you take your business seriously. Then we come to what is probably the most controversial asset - your vehicle. If you drive to a customer appointment and present yourself from your best side, then you should also travel with an adequate car so that reality also corresponds to what is said. Maybe your counterpart is a car lover and you have something in common that connects you. Of course, this principle also applies to other accessories such as pens, physical awards or other gadgets. Like attracts like here.

Events, clubs and mentors

In order to convince people of your personality and your brand in the long term and to find the right customers who tick like you and live the same values ​​and ambitions, you have to be in places where your target group is spending their time. Events are suitable for this where personal development or entrepreneurial growth is involved and you buy an expensive VIP ticket to sit in the right area and network there. Business clubs or memberships with exclusive hotel chains, wellness clubs or credit card providers as well as business and first class tickets with airlines are all other ways to put you in the right environment and get in touch with the right people there. Do you want to develop yourself personally or entrepreneurially and are you looking for a shortcut to reach your goal faster? Mentors are perfect for learning knowledge and skills quickly and tailored to you. They also provide you with an enormous network of A-players. Use all these opportunities to constantly increase your value and stand out as an expert.

I hope I was able to give you some inspiration with the above content that will help you increase your brand value, attract the right customers and thus multiply your sales through branding. If you now recognize a need to catch up, especially with digital branding measures, and would like to find out how you can reach the next level through branding, then I recommend that you get in touch with us. As a design agency for digital branding with an international focus and experience with over 250 customers in the premium segment, we can definitely help you. Click on the following link and make an appointment for a free initial consultation with one of our experts, who will analyze with you where you currently stand and develop a concept that suits your situation.