When you’re building a business there are two main things that always get mentioned when determining your success – marketing and branding. But what’s the difference between the two?

In short, marketing is a set of tools and strategies that you can use to promote your products, services, and company as a whole. It’s the process of getting your audience to take action.

Branding, on the other hand, is the shaping of your company’s identity and defining who you are. It projects your values and mission in a unique way that sets you apart from your competitors.

Despite your industry, competition is always high, so it is super important to make waves in the market to get your customers’ attention. Marketing is vital.

Right, great stuff, you’ve got their attention, but what do you need to do to maintain it? That our friends are where branding makes its grand entrance.

Which came first? Marketing or branding?

Branding comes first, and marketing comes second – although many businesses do it and vice versa. No, No! The reason is that you cannot market a company that has no identity.

Before even beginning to create a marketing strategy, your focus needs to be on branding. Who are you? What do you bring to the table? What are your core values?

Once you have answered and executed those questions, you should only proceed to market your brand. Once branding is put in place, you as a company will also have a better understanding of who you are and who your target audience is – making your marketing efforts more precise and in turn, more successful. Your marketing needs to marry your brand and bring it to life to increase your bottom line essentially.

Marketing Gains Attention. Branding Maintains Attention

People will choose brands to do business with based on whether they believe in them and feel connected with the brand. So, while marketing will help you get to the right people and break through all of the noise, if you want to keep your business up there in your audience’s mind, then your branding needs to be in a position where people can connect with your business.

In sum, you need a precise marketing strategy to differentiate your brand from its competition and let your customers know “We are here” – but you need the branding to create a long-term relationship, a loyal connection, and keep the audience coming back after you’ve stated that you exist.

Marketing strategies repeatedly start and end – but branding is forever

Marketing strategies come and go in the sense that there is always a final goal. Therefore a strategy has a beginning, a middle and an end.

Branding, on the other hand, is everlasting. It will always define who you are as a company and connect with your audience to build a lifetime relationship. As your company evolves, your branding needs to evolve with it.

Driving sales and driving recognition and loyalty

In essence, your marketing is meant to drive results, whether it be through SEO, content, or advertising; its purpose is to convert a lead. And of course, you need to drive sales to have a successful company – but branding takes a more long-term approach.

Branding builds trust, recognition, and loyalty, which is just as crucial as driving sales as it maintains those sales in the long run.

Marketing gets people engaged; branding keeps them coming back. Both have different goals and results, but both need a defined strategy.

If you want to match your branding and marketing to see incredible results, our award-winning team at Awove is here to do just that!