The impact of bad branding on your business
“Bad branding” might be a vague term given that good and bad are subjective… But, believe me when I say there IS such a thing as bad branding! And here’s the other catch - branding goes much further than just having a nice-looking logo. Yes, there are the fonts, colour scheme, and a website to match. Having the branding is one thing, but utilising it properly is where your branding really starts to do its job.
A “bad” brand for you may not be bad to someone else - the whole point of branding is that it’s unique to YOU and your business. It needs to be a representation of who you are, what your business is offering, and at the end of the day, it’s most likely going to be the first impression anyone has of your business
Now here’s the thing, while Canva is an absolute godsend, you can tell when someone has launched a business or rebrand and have used a template from Canva without changing any colours, fonts, or images. It’s a carbon copy of maybe 100 other businesses with the same logo. I’ll reiterate it again - your branding is a representation of you!
“Bad branding” can lead to…
Inconsistent branding can leave customers confused. They might wonder if they are dealing with the same business, leading to lost trust and, ultimately, lost sales.
In a sea of competitors, a poorly branded business is like a ship lost in a fog. Strong, cohesive branding helps you stand out, making your business memorable amid the competition.
Amateurish logos and low-quality designs erode your business's credibility. Customers might question the quality of your products or services based on your branding, affecting your reputation.
A disconnected brand fails to create an emotional connection with customers. Loyalty is built on trust and emotional attachment – things that a powerful brand identity can instill.
An incredible example of good branding is the real-life Barbie movie that launched this year. There were billboards to promote the movie that had the iconic Barbie pink as the background, and the movie launch date in the bottom corner in their brand font. That’s it. But everyone knew what it was promoting. That’s absolute genius marketing and the PERFECT way to further establish and utilise a successful brand. If you are looking for a good read variety magazine breaks down the tactics behind such a successful marketing campaign.
No matter, if your business is service-based, e-commerce, or in-person - having a brand that people trust, is one of the most important aspects to ensuring you not only grow your clientele/customers, but it’s key in making sure those people are regularly returning to you. And your ideal customers will make that snap judgment of you and your business based on the visual appeal! As much as “looks aren’t everything”, someone’s first impression of your brand on social media, for example, might be the make or break in them shopping at your store or making that enquiry.
At the end of the day, whether you are a new or established business, branding is one the most important things for you to nail. And whilst every business goes through rebrands (so know that you’re not stuck with what you choose now, forever!), it’s also important to note that you can’t rebrand every few months or every time you change your mind. It’s impossible to build a rapport or a permanent space in people’s minds if your brand is constantly changing. People love stability, which is important for them to trust you. Which in turn, equals success for you.
Our books at CRC are now open for 2024 with availability for branding packages.
I know you want to build the kind of brand like the Barbie movie that doesn’t need anything more than one colour and a date on a billboard to know exactly who it’s for, I can start that journey for you! All you need to do is enquire with me here. We can create a brand that is memorable, trustworthy, and not to mention aesthetically pleasing, and speaks volumes to represent you and your business.
