YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY

Springfield, MO

Log in Subscribe

Opinion: Nice logos don’t produce profitable brands

Posted online

If you ask 10 people what a brand is, you’ll probably get 10 different answers. One of the most common misconceptions is that your brand is a logo. Your brand isn’t your logo: It’s your reputation.

The most profitable businesses in the world understand that a pretty logo alone won’t cut it, because design without strategy is just decoration.

A profitable brand
The key to any profitable brand is bringing alignment to three things: what you say, how you look and what you do. If any one of these are out of alignment, your brand will be harmed.

1. What you say. The first ingredient is a strategic foundation. Strong brand positioning is the key. Without a well-defined and purposeful strategy, you’re doomed to be lost in a sea of competition. The best brands in the world stand for something more than what they sell.

Your strategy should be authentic. It should be you. You must figure out why you do what you do and feel confident that you can communicate that to your audience.

A profitable brand strategy should help you define things such as your core values, desired perceptions in the marketplace and underlying motivations of customers. Having these clearly defined and documented is the first step toward building a strong brand.

2. How you look. A neat logo won’t give you a profitable brand. However, it’s still a very important piece to the overall puzzle.

Purposeful design is a great way to differentiate yourself. It can go a long way in communicating your value to your audience. It can make your brand recognizable and memorable, and capture the interest of people.

Design shouldn’t be an afterthought, and it’s not just “nice to have.” If handled in a thoughtful way, it will be a tool to help you hit your business objectives, build a strong reputation and increase your bottom line.

3. What you do. Creating a great reputation (brand) is all about promises made and promises kept. This is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak. Once you have the right look and clear message, there is a snowball effect that begins to happen. If you are keeping your promises, being consistent and delivering value, you can expect to start seeing great results.

A strategic brand
You can see how a brand strategy can impact virtually every aspect of your business. A strategic approach to your brand will positively influence your day-to-day operations and help reach your goals with less headache. Here are a few ways that a strategic brand can help your business:

1. Customer magnet. People love brands that are easy to connect with. When you have a great reputation and are sending all the right messages, people know what to expect without any confusion. This lets people know that they can trust your business to deliver on its promises. With every positive interaction, at every touch point, a customer’s resolve to do business with you is strengthened.

2. Brand loyalty. Intentional brand strategy is one of the most effective ways to improve brand loyalty. People will always remember how you make them feel. This is why understanding your customer is necessary, because it allows you to connect with them on an emotional level. This connection can influence your customers to do business with you even if your product or service is more expensive or less convenient.

3. Avoid marketing headaches
. You easily can be overwhelmed by thousands of marketing gurus eager to take your money in exchange for helping you create the perfect marketing funnel, or utilize clever tactics to get more people to buy more of your stuff.

However, all of the marketing tricks in the world can’t save you from a bad reputation, poor message, disjointed focus or lack of position in your market. This is how a brand strategy will empower and enhance your marketing efforts.

The next step
Whether you’re an entrepreneur wanting to start a profitable business or a business owner who has hit a plateau, creating a brand strategy could be the most important next step for you.

The time, money and effort spent on your brand strategy is well worth the investment. You can start the journey alone or choose to partner with a brand agency.

Whichever route you choose, do something. Your reputation is on the line.

Jeremy Wells is a partner at Longitude, a brand agency based in Springfield. He can be reached at jeremy@longitudebranding.com.

Comments

No comments on this story |
Please log in to add your comment
Editors' Pick
From the Ground Up: Republic Intermediate School

The Republic School District is on track to open its Intermediate School for fifth- and sixth-grade students for the 2025-26 academic year.

Most Read
Update cookies preferences