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Imagine your brand (personal or business) as a book. Would you like people to judge your brand by what they see alone? If you say NO, then this article is for you.

Perhaps you said no because you believe within yourself that your business or personal brand is beyond what people see. You believe it is something they have to experience. We agree with you. Let’s just say you would not want people to judge your book by the cover.

However, here is the challenge – people judge by the cover: by what they see and how they are affected by what they see. A blog is judged by its design, a social media post is judged by the picture/video, a business is judged by its website, a newsletter is judged by the choice of font, and the list goes on.

In behavioural psychology, this is referred to as biases. People adopt biases so they have limited options and therefore can make quick decisions. It is the reason people read reviews before purchasing a product; also the same reason social media users believe information shared by some accounts but disregard others.

What does this mean to you as a brand owner?

Your brand (business) is judged as soon as a person sees it. Based on that first visual impression, they instantly decide who you are, what they can expect from you, what quality they can get, how good you are, how cheap/expensive the costs of your services are, etc.

According to experts, an impression of a product or brand is made in less than seven (7) seconds.

This means you have seven seconds, or less, to convince anyone about your business and convert them as a customer.

However, this is usually not the case. Many people invest in their brands but have no substantial return on that investment. So what could be wrong?

What is Not a Brand?

For a long time, people have misconstrued what brand or branding means. To some, they are the same, and they even use them interchangeably.

However, although a logo is part of your brand strategy, a logo is not a brand. As a business, you should have a logo and it should be placed everywhere, but your logo is not your brand. Your tagline is also not your brand; neither is your brand your name or your trademark.

All of these things are just elements and although they look as if it is what people want to see to be able to associate with your brand, the truth is they are not.

Your brand goes beyond just visual elements.

Your brand is a collection of perceptions and the sum total of experiences customers have about you and your business.

It is what your customers think of you and the way you conduct your business; the way you send emails, how your website looks, the type of Tweets you send out, how you describe your business, etc.

How to Improve Your Brand and Branding

Your brand and branding are two different entities. Branding is the process of getting your brand in the face and top of the mind of people which involves elements beyond your logo, your brand name, your brand colour, etc. Despite all these, your brand must dress well enough to pass the seven (7) seconds impression mark.

How do you do this?

1. Think differently
2. Know Your Customers / Target Audience
3. Do competitive analysis
4. Have a single theme on all Socials
5. Give appropriate value to clients
6. Show your employees

Your branding is your company’s most valuable asset, make sure you work on it.

Contact DEL-YORK International for your Bespoke brand and branding strategy Today.

We position your business across Sub-saharan Africa and the Global market.