WHAT IS MARKETING?

Marketing, according to Merriam-Webster, is defined as “the process or technique of promoting, selling, or distributing a product or service.” Research, analytics, and people psychology work together to construct the market and the people in the market so that you can better reach them. By understanding who wants your product or service, where to find them, and why they want/need it, you support your company’s very existence. The product or service you sell is necessary or desired and you know exactly why. That, in turn, establishes confidence and clarity in defending the reason for providing the product/service, which sells it. Selling it gives you money that creates profit, provides value, and inhibits growth. Win win win for all involved. The marketing includes the behind-the-scenes legwork which lays the foundation for existence and support for survival.

WHAT IS BRANDING?

Branding, according to Merriam-Webster, is defined as “the promoting of a product or service by identifying it with a particular brand.” The design, cohesion, and story established through branding constructs the visual and tangible world your product/service lives in. Following guidelines and creating consistent elements of a brand make it digestible and desirable for your audience. If you use consistent fonts and font sizes, work within a color palette, and continually create according to a theme or concept, you enforce brand recognition that bring people back to buy from you again and again. They know you’re reliable, dependable, and in line with their expectations and style, giving them confidence to invest in your product or service. You create long-term relationships, which keeps your brand above water through highs and lows.

HOW DO THEY COEXIST?

Marketing is the camera guy and branding is the star. Marketing is the research and branding is the reach. Marketing is an extended offer and branding ensures the offer is accepted. Understanding how they need each other to thrive strengthens each component individually and securing your chance of success. A brand without marketing is baseless and aimless; marketing without branding is static and chaotic. The ways in which they rely on the other is vital to the success of a business. If you create a product/service that people need and want but don’t know how to reach them or advertise to them, you won’t get their business over your competitors. Inversely, if you know how to tell stories and create cohesively but don’t know if or why people need or want your product/service, you’re blindly investing money and resources into something without assurance it’ll work. To some it may seem simple, but truly grasping the details of how they intertwine is the key to growing a business long-term.

WORKING WITH AN AGENCY

If you don’t currently have an agency or team of people that work on the ins and outs of marketing and branding your product/service, look no further! We’re here and happy to help. Regardless of who you have or who you choose, we encourage you to invest in this vital partner relationship between marketing and branding within your business so that you thrive and reach your goals. 

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