Branding and marketing are those sisters who look a lot a like and some people (who don’t know them well) can’t tell them apart. 

But I’m here to tell you, while they can be compatible with each other, they are COMPLETELY different. As you’re growing your small business it’s really important that you know the difference between the two so you can capitalize on both.

What is branding:

Branding is HOW you make your customers feel. There’s a lot that makes up branding: the visuals, the copy/communication, the aesthetic, the mission, the connection. It’s those intangibles that make up someone’s vibe, branding is like the personality of a business. 

I remember hearing “branding isn’t what you say about your business, it’s what other people say about your business” and that’s true. Branding is how other people view you. It’s is how you present yourself so other people can connect with your work and mission.

I believe branding is the foundation for all the work you do. Getting clear on what makes you different, how you serve your clients, how you want them to feel are REALLY important because once you know those things you have clarity in how to market. Marketing should follow ONLY after you have a solid brand strategy in place.

What is marketing:

Marketing is how you get your message out to the audience you’re trying to connect with. There are tons of ways to market: email marketing, social media, in-person events, advertising, newspaper ads, brand partnerships, influencer marketing, commercials, you name it. 

While all marketing plans are effective, not all marketing plans are effective for every business. For example, it’s just not practical for a mom and pop shop to spend thousands and thousands of dollars on a commercial, and likewise, it may not be beneficial for a law firm to be on TikTok. 

For small business owners, like myself who are solopreneurs or have a small team, the key for us is to find out where our ideal clients are hanging out and get in front of them there. For my business, I get quality leads and clients from Pinterest, so I make sure I’m active on that platform and posting new content to boards often. 

For other businesses, they focus on search engine optimization, or Instagram reels, or brand partnerships. No marketing strategy is right or wrong, but it’s important to know what makes YOU excited to market, find out where your customers are hanging out, and implement a strategic way to connect with them.

Marketing is a huge topic and there are so many other things to discuss like how to build your reputation and develop trust, and the different aspects of how to show up. A recent blog post touched on this about how to develop a brand people love, I encourage you to check it out if you want to build a strong, loveable personal brand.

HOW BRANDING + MARKETING ARE DIFFERENT:

They are completely different when it comes to strategy. Building a strong brand strategy is critical to building a strong brand. What I mean by brand strategy is getting to the core of what your business is about:

• What are the goals of your company

• What are the values that drive your business

• What is the tone of your brand

• How do you want to be remembered or perceived 

These are all branding questions that help you get to the heart of your brand and business.

When it comes to marketing, it’s important to look at data and numbers.

• Where are you getting most of your traffic 

• How do people find you

• What is your acquisition cost

• Are people converting from your social media to your newsletter list

There are a myriad of other questions you can ask, but knowing these important factors are key so you can know where to improve and grow.

HOW TO EXCEL AT BRANDING:

There are a lot of ways you can grow your brand - even before you hire a designer. Check out these blog posts that can help:

Branding for Beginners

7 Surprising Results of a Professional Brand 

How to Start the Branding Process

I often work with clients in 2 camps:

For the one client, she’s taken her visual brand as far as she can go. She has a Canva account and is starting to spend way too much time there and not getting the results she wants. She’s at her wits end with the tech of her website and wants to hire help so she can get the look, credibility, and professionalism that she sees for her business. For her, it’s time to consider hiring an expert. An expert can help give you that solid foundation of strategy as well as a cohesive roadmap for growing your brand for the future. Professional branding allows you to establish trust, professionalism, confidence, and credibility quickly and skip the weeks, months (or even years) trying to get the professional, personable online presence you envision.

For the other client, she’s just starting her online business and wants to put her best foot forward. She doesn’t want to piece-meal things together and waste time trying to figure it out on her own. She has a vision and is ready to execute so she can start her business building that credibility and trust right from the start.

No matter which camp you’re in, getting professional branding is necessary for long-term growth online. Whether you choose to DIY for a few years or you’re ready to get started before you’ve officially launched. If you’re at the spot where you’re researching designers, I encourage you to check out a recent post “Your Checklist for Hiring a Designer” that offer some great tips if you’re searching for someone to help you with your branding or website.

HOW TO EXCEL AT MARKETING:

If you need help getting in front of your ideal clients, or signing clients, or you don’t even know who your ideal clients are, it’s important to look at how you are marketing. 

Here’s a helpful blog post  How to Identify Your Target Audience if you’re struggling to even know WHO your people are.

But when it comes to the actual marketing, it’s gonna be different for every person and business. For example, some people LOVE showing up on Instagram reels and Lives and sharing content and doing launches. And for other people, that’s just not the way to go. They prefer email marketing, personal reach outs, and networking in person. 

A great book about marketing is “Marketing Made Simple” by Donald Miller that I highly recommend if you’re looking to grow your business with marketing. 

Marketing can be an endless race of strategies and hacks, but the best advice I can give is to 1) Reframe selling with serving and 2) Find out how you LOVE showing up and do that with your ideal clients. Because that energy will shine through no matter what style you choose. 

I hope this rundown of branding and marketing was useful to you as you’re growing your business! I would love to hear:

What stood out to you the most about branding and/or marketing?

Are you currently focusing on branding or marketing?