Written by Lara Kisielewska
The word “branding” means different things to different people. In fact, it is probably one of the most misunderstood pieces of jargon among small businesses that don’t employ their own marketing experts.
Many people assume that a brand means a logo, and a logo is definitely the most immediately visible part of a brand. But a brand is also composed of other visual aspects, like your fonts and colors, and maybe a set of icons. It is also your messaging, as conveyed in your marketing collateral such as your website and brochure, as well as in how you express yourself verbally via your elevator pitch. And most importantly, a brand is also the way your business makes people think and feel.
You expect to feel a certain way when you open the door to a Starbucks, and you expect to feel a completely different way when you enter a Dunkin’ Donuts for your morning cuppa joe. The experience of buying that coffee is a part of that chain’s brand that has nothing to do with its logo. Instead, it’s part of that company’s brand experience.