Our small business team of marketing consultants in Melbourne work with many small business clients, explaining to many of them the difference between marketing and branding.
Part of the confusion surrounding the marketing and branding conversation is that the line drawn between the two is not clear. Most people know they are different, but how and in what way is somewhat elusive.
Put simply, branding comes first.Trying to engage in marketing before you’ve set your branding is a recipe for disaster, ending with a muddled communication strategy overall.
Branding is the identity you give to your brand. Think of yourself as a brand for example, your brand would include your personality, aptitudes, appearance, and style. In the same way, company branding takes the shape of basic assets like your logo, your brand name, your tagline, and your colours. It also determines your brand voice, how your copywriting communicates your brand, and what tone it takes. Our small business marketing consultants explain that branding is a critical, invaluable, precursor to successful marketing.
Strong branding is coherent, cohesive, and consistent. Repetition and consistency are key because they create recall, which leads to brand loyalty.
Marketing is the implementation that uses branding and other key message and design elements to drive a specific message about a product or service.
Marketing strategies are used to actively promote your business. Marketing has a goal in mind and can include countless tactical elements in both print and digital. It could involve everything from direct mail, flyers, billboards, and brochures to PPC campaigns and banner ads.
The key difference between marketing and branding is that marketing is looking to generate a specific action, while branding is simply generating an identity.
If you need assistance with your small business marketing strategy, contact our small business marketing company in Melbourne today.