While taking about brands and branding, the first thing that comes to mind is the graphic image, logo or trademark that identifies a business or company. Do you remember which brand has an apple bite as their identity? Yes, it’s Apple. These strong graphic symbols are the face the company presents to the public that becomes their identification.
However, there is much more to branding, way beyond the surface of an instantly visible identifying mark or logo. There are three major elements that specify a strong brand. The presentation – the visual appearance, or face displayed making up all of your marketing material.
The perception – Is how the public sees your business based on your presentation and also when doing business with you.
The experience – Is the kind of experience you want your customers to have. How you make them feel especially when they are involved in business with you?
Presentation is about the visual elements of your business; your logo, stationery, website, and other marketing materials. It also entails the style and tone of your marketing copy, communications and interactions with people. From the services or products your business offers and how you present them to the type of atmosphere your business cultivates all constitute the presentation package.
Perception is the way people see your business depending on how you present it. People will have certain expectations from you on how they perceive your visual and written communication. Make sure you can live up to the image you present because if a customer’s experience doesn’t meet expectation, the resulting negative feeling will have a damaging impact on your brand identity.
Brand experience is how people feel having involved in business with you and how the experience influence customer satisfaction. Crafting a positive emotional connection through the best brand experiences with your customer makes your brand accessible. Satisfied customers can relate to your brand and as long as you’re genuine you will win loyal customers who recommend your brand to others as well.
All three elements are interrelated creating a solid brand identity and the foundation for a successful business that people would remember for long.