So, the other day…

I logged onto my YouTube account, and in the list of “Recommend Videos” along the sidebar of my Home screen was a video entitled “How to Actually Make Your Marketing and Branding Work Together,” published by the gang at Inc Magazine.
I’m shouting them out, in part because this video is the source of the following post. But also because I STRONGLY recommend that you subscribe to Inc Magazine’s YouTube channel!
It’s loaded with original content, just like this gem, in short, bite-sized, 2-5 minute nuggets you can consume quickly and easily (as I did whilst brushing my teeth early on a Wednesday morning). And the Inc team is minting valuable new content on the regular!
Anyway, the video stars Inc contributor, Emily Heyward (co-founder of Red Antler, a digital marketing agency). And in her three-minute prezi, she essentially breaks down the difference between Marketing + Branding.
Ultimately, her hypothesis is Branding is a completely separate practice Marketing.
While I fundamentally disagree with Emily’s premise, she makes several SOLID points in the video. So, I thought it worth exploring the topic further…

Marketing: The Simple Definition

Now, when it comes to marketing, I ALWAYS return to my “simple definition” of the term:

Marketing is ANYTHING + EVERYTHING you do to make or keep a customer.

 What Then is Branding?

I’ve also touched on this subject (mostly from a messaging standpoint, because hey, messaging is my biz!), but here’s a short recap:
Visual Branding
Branding, one on hand, is your logo, your color palette, and the overall visual look and feel of your digital assets and print marketing collateral. And in this sense, being “on-brand” is maintaining a consistent looking and feel across all your marketing platforms + collateral.
In other words, your logo, color palette, and design format look the same on your website, emails, social media pages, brochures, print ads, direct mail, etc…
Message Branding
On the other hand, Branding is also the tone you convey in your messaging to would-be customers, and how you want these prospects to perceive your business.
For example… If you want your business to perceived as good-natured and helpful, your messaging is cheery and accommodating. If you want your business to perceived and serious and poised, your messaging is buttoned up, terse and to the point. If you want your business to be perceived as hip and happenin’, your message is full of slang, and fun, informal language.

Marketing Vs. Branding

If you watch the video, you’ll discover Emily Heyward’s perspective is that your Brand is your “presentation.” While marketing is how you promote your business to attract would-be customers.
In other words, defining your look and feel Vs. communicating with would-be clientele.
But I would submit, Branding is still a part of Marketing. Defining the visual “look + feel” of your biz, in addition to prescribing the tone of your messaging and the perception you intend to imprint upon your ideal prospects, certainly qualifies as part of “ANYTHING + EVERYTHING you do to make and keep a customer.”
The crux of Emily’s point, however, really boils down to strategy.
And in that regard, I’m in total agreement with Ms. Heyward. Because I’m totally on board the strategy boat! I mean, what do I ALWAYS and FOREVER stress is an ABSOLUTE necessity before embarking upon any marketing endeavor?
It all starts with defining your goals and plotting a course to achieve those goals. In other words, strategy always comes first!
And in essence, this is what Emily’s really saying in her Inc video.
Because skipping the “presentation” phase of marketing, and jumping ahead to “promotion” is akin to beckoning potential customers into a store that’s (a) still under construction, and (b) staffed by a pack of sales associates who have no idea of what they’re actually selling.
Sounds like recipe for disaster, no?
That’s a big YUP!

So, Where Do Marketing + Branding Meet?

Branding is an integral piece or your marketing strategy.
Thus, before you deploy a single tactic — launch a website, create social media pages, unleash an email marketing campaign, craft a brochure, or dig into any of the abundant marketing tactics at your disposal — you MUST define your Brand FIRST.
In other words, settling on your visual look + feel, and identifying the tone and intent behind your messaging (all the components of your “Brand”) comes well before attempting to promote your services and attract potential customers.
Brand first. Promotions second. And those are KEY components of a SOLID marketing strategy!

Are You ON-BRAND?

So,, are you knee deep in promoting your business, without having given a single thought to your Brand?
If the answer yes, I’ve got an assignment for you this week… Before you expend another iota of effort on marketing, give some serious thought to defining your Brand.
And then let me know how it shakes out over on me Google+ page — Cheers!