One of my favorite questions to ask any new client (or anyone that will listen, really) is Why do you think people choose your business over others that sell the exact same thing?
Except in the event that person knows me particularly well, the answer is always the same. Customer service, quality, professionalism, insertresumebuzzwordhere. Fine. But, what about a competitor that does all those things just as well, if not better, than you?
Everything you do in your business makes people feel a certain way.
From how you speak to customers, treat your employees, answer the phones, package your products, interact on social media, to all the other ways you create an experience around your product or service, you’re saying something beyond the words you use.
This influences their perception of you and becomes your brand.
Your branding (or brand identity) is how you communicate that feeling visually.
Your brand assets are the tangible things you use to help convey that thing your brand stands for, how someone should feel about it, and why a customer should choose you over a competitor.
That brings us full circle to why this all matters in the first place. It goes back to that “93% of communication is nonverbal” statistic. A solid identity becomes uniquely yours, recognizable and adds to your credibility. Being consistent about what your brand stands for and how you communicate that establishes trust and gives you a competitive edge, even if your customer isn’t always able to articulate that themselves.
Of course, it’s not always as easy as it sounds to do. But, it is possible. And it’s worth the investment for your business’ longevity to do it as soon as possible.
