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Marketing vs. Branding

Knowing the difference can improve your business

All too often, businesses view branding as being interchangeable with marketing. This incorrect assessment can lead to failed marketing efforts and missed opportunities for success.

By gaining a better understanding of what branding is, you’ll have a stronger foundation for promoting your business and crafting a story that will last for years to come. 

Begin with Branding

Your brand is your company’s personality, its culture and the message that permeates all of your communications. It’s the pre-determined look, feel and tone that becomes a part of your décor and graphic design.

It’s also the feeling your customers get after interacting with your company – from the service they receive to the emotions you elicit. Ultimately, it’s the philosophical foundation for everything you do, and it is determined by looking inward.

At Turnpost, we first help our clients find consensus regarding their purpose, values and objectives as an organization. Then, we work with them to achieve clarity by building a brand platform. Finally, we help them establish continuity by determining how this new platform will be communicated.

Create a Marketing Strategy Based on Your Brand

Once your brand platform is in place, you’ll be much better equipped to create an effective marketing strategy. Marketing includes the tactics you’ll use to advertise your business – from your website to your social media strategy. How you design your communications, write copy and approach social media will all be determined by your brand platform.

“A strong brand establishes a critical foundation for your business,” says Jeff Reiner, President and Creative Director at Turnpost. “Once your platform is in place, you’ll see more success in your marketing efforts.”

Your brand doesn’t just solidify your unique position in the marketplace – it can also add equity to your business, in the form of loyalty, trust, awareness, and positive associations like quality and strength.

And it can be the perfect initiative to visit in times of transition.

“If you want to sell a business that lacks a solid brand, this could be a great time to add value for prospective buyers,” says Reiner. “Conversely, if you buy an existing business that lacks an established brand, this is your chance to give your new company vital direction.”

 

"By gaining a better understanding of what branding is, you'll have a stronger foundation for promoting your business and crafting a story that will last for years to come."

 

To date, Turnpost has completed branding initiatives and updates for a wide variety of large companies known on both a local and national scale. Some of the agency’s recent accomplishments include:

  • A comprehensive rebrand for Travel and Transport, one of the top international corporate travel companies in the world.
  • The creation of a unique brand with national appeal for Brix – an initiative that helped the wine bistro secure vital investments.
  • The development of a brand for Benaissance, a billing and payments solutions provider, that supported the company’s rapid growth and subsequent acquisition.
  • A complete branding initiative and corresponding marketing campaign for 88 Tactical, a rapidly growing training organization focused on teaching professionals and civilians how to respond in crisis scenarios.

 

To learn more about Turnpost’s branding services, visit Turnpost.com today.

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