Should we spend on branding or marketing?
July 24, 2014Getting the brand right first will make subsequent marketing more effective and reduce cost.
Spending on marketing where the brand is poorly defined or in a state of change may have a short-term benefit, but in the long-term is more likely to be counter-productive. A distinctive promise, consistently made over time and consistently fulfilled, which is what branding is, will ensure that every campaign and every piece of marketing material you put out will be like the pieces of a jigsaw fitting together in the minds of your customers. When they come to buy, they are more likely to buy from your brand, and, once they have bought, they are more likely to come back to your brand for future purchases and also tell others about it.
Once the brand has been defined, it becomes easier and cheaper to develop marketing campaigns and materials.