What you do may not be unique. What you sell may be similar to your closest competitor. The only difference between you and the guy down the street is your brand. How memorable is it? What personality does it have? Most importantly, how does it make people feel? There are many businesses that make shoes. But there's only one NIKE.
We all know having a strong brand makes the selling process a lot easier. Well positioned brands have less selling to do. I would prefer to visit a Target than a Kmart. Why? They sell similar stuff don't they? Similar price point? But Target differentiates itself by a cohesive and memorable branding strategy that stirs an emotion in me that resonates. I love their bold, unapologetic red all over the place. It's constistent and properly executed and that speaks volumes of how a business is run. Apple has the same effect on me. TESLA has done the same, and we know it has become the most valuable car company in the world - and it's not even close. You see, all branding is about emotion. And emotion turns prospects into buyers.
On a smaller business scale, say your own start-up, you must always remember that you, not your product will create the value. The branding is just the avenue you use to provide that value. And it's important that everything is aligned. It's interesting how every time I ask my clients for a testimonial for the work that FLAT 6 CONCEPTS has done for them, they always mention my name personally not the company. What that means to me is that they buy from me, but inherently they also trust the brand that I have built to deliver on my promise.
Branding is not just about being perceived as better or cheaper or more expensive. It's about being seen as the only solution to your audience's problem. I am going into PRADA not because they are expensive, but because I know I will find the perfect black shirt. The PRADA logo is simply the gateway. For us at FLAT 6 CONCEPTS, our focus is on a specific market, a specific aesthetic.
I want clients that see our work to say "You are the guys! You get it! You are the branding agency that resonates with the personality and aesthetics of what we are all about." Thankfully most who hire us, say exactly that.
-Christos Joannides