Branding and Marketing. Two words that are endlessly thrown around as solutions to the ever-changing yet always challenging economy we find ourselves in. Whilst it is certainly true that they each benefit a business, it has become increasingly apparent that many business owners believe there isn’t much difference between the two, at worst, that they mean the same thing.

Whilst each certainly compliments the other, branding and marketing are separate tools in which when mastered, provide solutions to different objectives entirely.

We’re going to talk about the real differences between the two, and why both are equally crucial for businesses to stay relevant and connected with their audiences going forward.

Branding

Branding can be defined in numerous ways, but the most effective, and perhaps the simplest, can be characterising it as your ‘unique stamp.’ However, this is so much more than just a logo design. Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room, how audiences perceive your personality, what you feel like and sound like, as well as how you look.

A strong voice is a consequence of a strong brand. Without these foundations, marketing outreach often doesn’t drive the results required, resulting in businesses mistakenly putting this down to ‘a channel that doesn’t work for them’.
Ultimately, when developed correctly, your brand is what will distinctively set you apart.

Marketing

To define marketing as a collective is rather difficult, as it is adaptable and can take many forms depending on your consumer, your business goals, and your platform. Definitively, if your brand is your voice, then marketing is where and how (loudly) you are heard.

There are so many different types of marketing activity available, but it is how it is implemented that can contribute to its effect. The art of storytelling through marketing outreach is immensely powerful and is often the answer to turning dis-engaged consumers into loyal customers for a business. This may not be an instant fix, but telling stories so enthralling that your target audience will feel something deeply and form an affinity with your business over time is arguably more powerful than one-time transactions arriving at a faster rate.

Although it should be noted that whilst a large part of marketing is the selling of services, products, or goods, there is a larger part that many forget or indeed aren’t aware of: Market research and strategy. It is this, combined with a strong narrative, that will enable your outreach to be executed perfectly.

The Importance of Strategy

Something branding and marketing each share is the importance of a well-devised strategy aligned to your business goals.

Whilst it is certainly recommended that a company invests in both their brand identity and marketing outreach, the key initial aspect many overlook for both is strategy. Without an initial strategy, any outreach can become white noise, and any brand edge quickly becomes soft.

If your brand is newly formed, realigned, or even rebranded, your next step before any outreach should be a marketing strategy.

By having set the foundations of a strong brand and establishing which channels will be the most effective, your budget will be better utilised in the long term and your marketing will captivate your audience over your competition.

At Marketing Elect, we specialise in developing immersive marketing strategies designed to tell your stories, whilst building adaptable and lasting propositions.

Together, with our sister agency Brand Elect, we can provide the full suite of brand and marketing services, with our core focus being on your business objectives and how we can exceed them. We ensure our clients feel supported by our services throughout the marketing journey and favour established client relationships over transactional ones.