The Importance of Branding

Is branding essential? What does it really do for your business? How does it impact a customer’s experience of your product or service?

Is it enough to get a logo designed, and leave the rest for later?

As you progress through the first steps of getting your business off the ground, these questions can seem intimidating, and complicated - with every information source offering contradicting perspectives.

It’s a good thing you’ve got SAAAR to simplify things!

Let’s begin by fully understanding one question:

How does your customer experience your business?

They DON’T…

- Experience your logo floating to them in a white, Matrix-like void

- Experience JUST your product or service exactly the way you intended They DO experience your brand through…

- Your website

- Your menu (if applicable)

- Your product packaging

- Your commercials

It’s important that the design company working on your logo understands that the logo doesn’t work in silos; it is just one small part of a larger universe of visual communication.

This holistic visual identity can work together to evoke:

- A feeling of credibility and trust

- Positive associations of authenticity

- An immediate understanding of what your products and service are

Well-executed branding can also offer you valuable tools, such as:

- Being distinctly differentiated from other businesses in your field

- The confidence to share and market your business, and show the world you believe in what you’re selling

- The ability to attract the right clients

- The credibility to charge higher prices

All of these benefits can work together to ensure that your investment in your branding can provide profoundly high returns.

The Problem

Since many business owners do not make a distinction between logo design and branding, they place an impossible expectation on the logo to provide all the benefits of branding.

They expect to have a strong, positive emotional reaction to the logo concept for their company. And, naturally, they don’t.

They then assume the logo design is bad.

After all, many of the world’s most iconic logos elicit a positive emotional reaction. That’s what makes the Nike logo such a great logo! Right?

Wrong.

So, if the logo itself doesn’t trigger a positive emotional reaction, why does the Nike logo have the power to elicit a positive reaction? What makes it seem exciting and fun?

Here’s how it really works:

Step 1. A potential customer sees a logo.

Step 2. If the logo is familiar to them (such as Nike’s swoosh), they will instantly remember all the experiences they’ve had with the brand – the commercials, their experience owning Nike products, seeing their cool neighbor wearing Nike clothes, the packaging, the way their friends talk about the brand, celebrity endorsements, and so much more.

Step 3. These memories trigger an emotional and intellectual response.

Step 4. They decide to purchase the latest pair of Nike shoes.

As you can see, the logo is only a visual cue. It functions as a trigger for the brain to recall various experiences the customer has had with the brand - and the memory of those experiences elicits a positive emotional reaction.

To put it another way: imagine looking at a photograph of a very fond memory. The photograph triggers the memory, and it makes you smile. However, if you were looking at a photograph that was unfamiliar to you - of people and places you never experienced - it would elicit nothing at all. The photograph itself has no value; the memory does.

The photograph (in this case, the logo) is merely a symbol of that positive association and a window through which that association can be accessed.

Keeping this in mind, here’s how a new business owner might perceive the new logo for their business if it isn’t backed by branding.

Step 1. A potential customer sees their new logo design.

Step 2. They do NOT have any memories tied to the new mark.

Step 3. Because they have no memories, there are no positive associations triggered; there is no excitement.

Step 4. They fire their designer.

The Solution

At SAAAR, we prioritize the holistic exercise of “branding”. We consider every aspect of what makes up a brand and integrate that into our design process.

At the end of a project with us, you WILL have…

A Strategic Brand Identity, that encompasses all the foundational elements of your brand. During that process, our team considers every aspect of your brand - which is unique to each project but might include factors such as hang tags, signage, website, apparel, paper type, finishing, uniforms, billboards, packaging, and more.

That being said, we understand completely that branding can seem like an intimidating investment and commitment for many start-ups. The prices can be relatively high, as it is an in-depth process that requires skills, expertise, and experience. Quality branding can take as long as 6-10 months to complete, and even longer for larger companies.

Even though it is a worthwhile investment that will increase profits, some businesses simply don't have that kind of budget.

If that’s you - don’t worry. We believe that a great start is better than no start at all. With some research and creativity, you can still begin making steady progress in your branding journey. There is plenty of information out there on how to create a basic brand strategy—at least until you're able to work with a specialist—and most business owners will be able to pull it off by themselves.

It only gets tricky when it comes to logo design, as a quality logo needs to be designed in professional design software, by somebody who has knowledge and experience in the field. A logo that looks amateur can make your business look amateur - and that can make it difficult to make sales.

Summary

Don't let a small budget stop you from starting a business. After all, the success of a business comes down to a million moving parts.

Even if your branding is compromised initially, there are other elements that can make your business succeed, such as the strength of your product/service, or exceptional customer service.

However, having your logo done professionally is crucial. The logo is the one factor that cannot be DIY; it must be custom-created for your business, lending it an essential foundation that can be built upon once you’re better equipped to get your complete branding in place.

Work towards getting there, and take your time to find the right designer for your business. Get ready, and go for it. You’ll find that it’s a quantum leap for your business, and worth every penny.

Get Started

If you’re ready to get the ball rolling, we’re here to help you take the first step.

We currently have two options: Logo-Only Design Package and the MINI-Brand Identity. To know more, visit our Services page.

If you have any questions regarding this blog post, please leave them in the comments below, or get in touch via our contact form on the Contact page. We’re prompt with replies, and always happy to help.