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At 89Ninety, we have been working with brands of all shapes and sizes across the UK and Ireland since 2015 from our Belfast HQ, developing brands from their concept stage to redeveloping brands on a new mission that need a fresh approach to convey who they are. With all that experience, we have 6 incredible benefits of cohesive branding for your business in this article.
Developing a cohesive brand strategy is at its very core, presenting your business on all fronts, whether in person, graphically, digitally or through advertising, in a consistent, recognisable and here is the crucial part, cohesive way. It is the very core of a business’s identity.
6 Incredible Benefits of Cohesive Branding for Your Business
Developing a cohesive brand is crucial for businesses that aim to build a strong reputation and distinguish themselves from their competitors. This can foster trust among customers, enhance market share, and boost sales. A robust brand can also enhance the overall value of the company, attract skilled personnel, and promote a sense of unity and togetherness among employees.
In this article, we will dissect what we think are the 6 incredible benefits of having a cohesive brand strategy and explain why it’s crucial for your business’s success. Whether you’re a small Belfast startup or an established London enterprise, understanding the value of branding can take your business to the next level.
1. Increases Brand Recognition
Brand recognition refers to how well your target audience, as well as potential customers, can remember your company’s brand and distinguish your products from those of your competitors. For instance, Apple has one of the most easily recognisable brands in the world; even if you don’t use their devices and are a hardcore Android user, you still instantaneously recognise their brand and hardware. This recognisability follows through their stores which exude a premium technological feel, to their aptly named ‘Genius bar’, building their reputation as high-end consistently; only an Apple genius can turn it on and off to fix the problem. Their consistency across their logo, colours, fonts, and other stylisations helps establish brand recognition. Their Space Grey becomes a defacto colour profile for every 3rd party device to feel connected to their ecosystem and by consistent, cohesive brand awareness, a premium product by association.
Maintaining consistency across all channels is crucial in building brand recognition. This consistency ensures that your brand messaging and other stylisations are recognisable on any medium. A study by Statista found that a third of respondents believed that brand consistency substantially contributed to their company’s revenue.
When customers reach the brand recognition stage, which follows the brand awareness stage, they not only become aware that your brand merely exists, but you can consider them as a ‘warm’ potential customer for the future. With this warmed customer, even if a conversion does not materialise immediately, the key is brand recognition at an early stage. However, even at this early brand recognition stage, by adopting the process and core principles of branding, and creating a cohesive brand strategy that amplifies thought and awareness of your company, whether an SME in Belfast or a multi-national law firm in London this early acknowledgement is essential to long term brand awareness and association.
2. Improves Customer Loyalty to Your Brand
Having loyal customers benefits any business because they tend to spend more money and make repeat purchases. According to research, 57% of customers spend more money on brands they’re loyal to, and they often anticipate a brand’s new product releases and follow them for updates. Again we can return to the initial example of Apple and their products. Each September, without fail, they introduce the new iteration of the iPhone, and each September, those who are brand loyal and deep within brand recognition return to update their year-old product to stay on trend with the latest release from a company that they are locked into brand-wise.
Customer loyalty is a natural result of consistently positive emotional experiences, product satisfaction, and a perceived value of a consistent brand. This brand loyalty has been developed in this example of Apple on an individual’s personal experience with a company, and loyal customers usually view the company’s products as superior to those of other brands, for example, Android devices. We can see clearly from this example there are two camps when it comes to the latest phone release, those on Android who opt for either Google Pixel or Samsung S and those who reside firmly in the Apple camp. Each side feels that the brand they are loyal to is far superior hence the term ‘Apple FanBoys’.
A strong brand with a loyal following consistently delivers positive customer experiences. In a survey undertaken by Qualtrics XM Institute from 2019, 94% of customers who had a “very good” experience with a brand were more likely to purchase from it again, and 83% of customers who had a “good” experience were also more likely to buy again. A “good experience” means the customer was generally satisfied with the product and service. Good customer service and products that meet customers’ needs are two of the main reasons why customers stay loyal to a brand. A strong brand constantly strives to enhance the customer experience and anticipates customer needs with its products, again returning to Apple they release an iPhone in multiple sizes and configurations to suit each of their potential customers.
3. Positive Word of Mouth Marketing
When your brand tells a compelling story that encapsulates who you are as a company and what you and your product or service stand for, consumers will share it with others, becoming your defacto brand ambassadors. Word-of-mouth advertising doesn’t just serve as social proof of your brand’s credibility; it is the reputational proof to the pudding that a friend, a colleague or a family member trusts that brand enough to recommend it. According to Sprout Social, word-of-mouth advertising can boost the overall impact of your marketing campaigns by up to a whopping 54%. Effective word-of-mouth advertising is not just a hallmark of a consistent, cohesive brand message; it is the verification through a trusted source that your brand and, in turn, its product or service delivers. When you offer high-quality products or services that others have tried, tested, enjoyed, and found value from, your satisfied customers will spread the word to their network.
4. The Effectiveness of Advertising Reaches New Highs With Customers.
The effectiveness of advertising refers to the likelihood of customers purchasing your product after being exposed to your advertisement. The higher the effectiveness of your advertising, the greater the chance of customers buying your product. Through consistent, cohesive branding, any advertising from your business is met with curiosity, trust and a willingness to engage. We return again to Apple for this example, think of each new release, whether iPhone, iPad, MacBook, or Airpods. Each is met with a loyal following, each is covered religiously in the news, and each, without plastering advertisements everywhere, is undoubtedly more successful due to its consistent and cohesive brand messaging. When your brand is well-established and your products or services are reliable, new product and service releases and promotions can have a significant impact on your customers. Your brand, along with its advertising, has the power to generate interest and excitement among your customers more effectively due to consistent, cohesive branding.
5. Brand Awareness Causes Lower Price Sensitivity
Price sensitivity refers to how much the cost of your product affects your target audience’s willingness to purchase it. The lower the impact of price on their decision-making, the better. This indicates that they have a strong affinity for your brand and are willing to pay more for it. Customers with lower price sensitivity are typically satisfied with a previous purchase from your brand or have a positive emotional connection to it.
With a strong brand, you have the ability to increase prices because of the value you offer. This is because you have established yourself as an expert in your field over time and built a loyal customer base, which lowers their price sensitivity. However, it’s important to maintain a balance between pricing and perceived value to avoid alienating your customers.
6. Growing Attraction of Your Brand as an Employer.
When a job seeker encounters a company that appears to be thriving and successful, they are more likely to be drawn to it. It is natural for people to want to work for well-established, exciting brands and include them in their professional experience. A stronger brand attracts a larger pool of applicants, giving the company a greater chance of finding the ideal candidate.
When your brand is well-established, job seekers are more likely to be interested in joining your company over others. Your brand has a unique employee value proposition that sets it apart from other companies, which only your company can offer to employees. If your brand offers incentives and benefits that other brands do not, more people will be attracted to work for your company.
Your brand is the core of your business and the greatest selling tool you will ever possess
Developing a coherent, cohesive brand is undoubtedly challenging, but if you are willing to embark on a business venture, whether a law firm in Belfast or managed services in London, evolving your brand is one of the most important investments you can make. In today’s world, where each eyeball is being pulled in every direction, consuming mass content, developing and growing a well-established brand is not only necessary for survival but also for standing out from the crowd. Therefore, the reasons to invest in strengthening your brand are not just compelling but undeniable.
How do you enhance your business branding?
Get in touch with us via phone, email, or direct message. Our branding agency is located in both Belfast and London, serving clients in Ireland, the UK, and North America. We take a holistic approach to branding, delving beyond mere logos and fonts to truly understand your brand. Hopefully, this article has been informative and highlighted 6 Incredible Benefits of cohesive branding for your business. If you have any further branding or business development queries, don’t hesitate to contact us through our website. Also, feel free to peruse our other articles to learn more about how we can take your UK or Irish business branding to new heights.