Let's talk branding

I walked into a restaurant the other day, and I couldn’t for the life of me tell you who they were because they had no visible branding anywhere!!!......ANYWHERE!
 
No signs out the front, no sandwich boards, no logo on their menu, no branding on their glassware, cups, serviettes… Nothing.
 
Might not seem like a big deal right? But it made sure that I wasn’t left with an impression of who this business was. If someone had said their name to me a week later, I would have probably looked blankly at them not knowing who they were. Lack of branding is such a missed opportunity to connect with your customers. 

​Not having any visible branding is of course a marketing No, No.  Not having consistent branding is also an issue; the obvious reason being that your customers are being introduced to you and inconsistent marketing messages will be confusing.
 
In most businesses there are some obvious signs of some higher level branding. These are commonly found in logos and menus, but often there are other potentially missed opportunities to carry your branding throughout your messaging to your customers.
 
The power of having visible and cleverly thoughtout branding in your business is the difference between venues you remember and venues you forget. Think about it. McDonald’s, one of the most recognisable brands in the world never sends out any of its products without a logo on it. Whether you like it or not they have branding down pat. People trust things that they know, and if they start seeing your logo pop up all through their social media feeds, online, and in your venue, they will develop a trusting relationship with what they know and be more likely to become repeat customers.
 
So how could you have pieces of your branding in your business every day? Well, there are many ways; on your menus, branded coffee cups, branded serviettes, and also branded loyalty cards. If you have takeaway options, you have a tremendous opportunity to have branded stickers, bags, and cups that people will take to other places, spreading your brand exposure for you. If you take the time to do your branding creatively, customers will often share your items on social media, helping to increase your reach. Branding doesn’t have to be expensive, just having a stamp with your logo on it, or a page of stickers can get you started.
 
All of these types of branding are little reminders of who you are and what you stand for, and they’ll help you develop a trusting relationship with your customers.
 
Love to hear your thoughts, KB