How branding adds 
business value

Brands aren’t just logos. No one would be ready to pay 50 to 90 USD for a T-shirt just because there is a tiny symbol embroidered on it. The reasons why eventually people will repeatedly and willingly pay for goods and services way beyond their functional value are complex - but all lead to one common denominator: the brand. This sounds like magic. And it is. The complex branding spell sits on the intersection of business strategy, anthropology, psychology, semiotics, creative communication and design and involves orchestrated efforts of multinational teams with astronomic budgets or - just a single determined business person with a vision. That’s why branding needn’t be just a domain of large corporations. It can be a powerful tool for businesses big and small as diverse as schools, coffee houses, utility providers, cultural institutions, tourist destinations, confectionery makers, automotive or business consultancies. So, how exactly does it happen that some branded goods can be sold with higher premium than others? What other jobs can a successful brand accomplish? Which of them are relevant for a small business owner/operator like yourself? Here is a checklist of the most common brand-related tasks. 

• Differentiate a new product
• Define the new company (point of difference, frame of reference, 
segment, business strategy, customer benefits)
  
• Re-define an existing company
  
• Embody a breakthrough innovation of your product
  
• Motivate employees and other key stakeholders
  
• Earn you a higher price premium per item sold
  
• Help you to enter new segments, markets, territories
  
• Lead you and your team through organizational change
  
• Appeal to new target audiences
  
• Systematize the design and the brand portfolio
  
• Distribution/Partner network development
  
• Copyright protection
  
• Better visibility of the company and its products

Now, try to assign priority to the checked items. This is the scope of your brand-building plan.



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