This has been a major discussion across industries. Among both, those who have the budget & team and those who don’t have a budget or a team but still are planning to invest in both branding and marketing. This concept of marketing versus branding is not something new and has always been a crucial topic, especially as it depicts two different departments both trying to prove how one is better than the other. Now, in this battle, we are going to discuss what people already know about both of them. Instead, we are going to focus on the one question, which is what founders should know. A one-line answer: they should know that it is never about what serves better but how they both can be strategically utilized to strike a balance and make good use of resources, data, and utilities in the form of actionable steps.
I often observe that when startups skip brand building and jump straight into marketing, they often waste time, money, and attention without creating lasting traction. The same thing can be said about the branding team when they are in the pursuit of developing a strategy but take marketing for granted.
Marketing approaches but branding invites
If you have read any of my previous blogs, you may know that I often quote this line. I wrote this. Marketing ostensibly is known for distribution and sales. It stands on the foundation of the products and services offered by the brand and moves forward with all the data, information, & insights. Marketing has the major aim of ensuring sales and promoting the product in the market. So, that’s why it approaches. It's about channels, tactics, campaigns, content calendars, and conversions.
On the contrary, at the core, branding is about defining who you are, what you stand for, who you serve, and why you exist. It is done to invite and attract people to the product and not the other way round. Think about brand purpose, personality, positioning, values, tone of voice, and visual identity. Knowing the difference can help founders in personal branding for startups as well.
Branding Must Come First
The reason why branding must come first is because it offers all the data, visual identity, tone, brand voice, messaging, and a good buildup of reputation for the product with a recognition value. So, the next time the marketing team or even the sales team is making efforts to pitch it to the client or customer, the customer can immediately recall the brand through various means of elements worked up by the branding team.
According to Forbes, consistent branding across all channels increases revenue by up to 23%. This is a major number if you think about it because technically the revenue increases only when leads convert into sales. So a sales figure with such a hike is something all companies strive for.
When we speak of branding, there is always one thing that will come first, and that is brand strategy. Without it, not only branding but the entire marketing gimmick can look dispersed. This happens because companies tend to chase trends instead of anchoring in a clear narrative. A well-defined brand, on the other hand, acts like a compass. It gives your marketing a voice, a tone, and a reason to exist.
Brand Strategy vs Marketing Strategy: Know the Roles
This table will come in handy to you. The next time someone asks you what the difference is between marketing and branding strategy, you can tell them very quickly. In addition to that, the branding vs marketing difference also shows up in timeline and impact. Branding builds equity over time. Marketing drives results. Where one builds depth, the other is responsible to drive action. Remember what I said in the beginning: you need both; you need to strike a balance between them so that you can reap the maximum benefits.
The Cost of Getting It Backwards
This is the place or point from where the founders realize their mistakes, and now the road to the way back is long and costly and is going to require a 180-degree change and shift in direction. Most founders don't realize they've misfired on this until it's too late.
Basically what happens is that founders and entrepreneurs end up spending a hefty budget on ads, email tools, and social media consultants, yet nothing works in the right direction. Why? The answer is simple: because their message isn't anchored in a clear identity. I have stressed this topic enough: you, as a founder, need to be consistent and clear about your brand identity. Lucidpress shows that businesses with consistent branding are 3.5x more likely to enjoy excellent brand visibility.
Each of these startups succeeded not because they marketed better, but because their brand strategy informed their marketing execution.
How Founders Should Approach This
Let me share with you three techniques that will serve you better. -
Attend a brand strategy workshop: If you haven’t done this yet, you simply don’t know what you are missing out on. Define your mission, vision, values, positioning, audience, and voice.
Build brand assets: Everything related to your brand, from the logo, color palette, and tone of voice to brand messaging guidelines, is a brand asset. Work on it, improve on it, and reap benefits from it in the market.
First branding, then marketing strategy: Remember this rule, branding will always come first. Once you are done with the branding strategy, then only move to the marketing strategy. Make sure you revisit both as you grow. Brand evolves. Marketing adapts. But the brand always leads.
Final thoughts
The only key takeaway from this blog that you must remember is that you do not have to refrain from any of the aspects. Neither branding nor marketing. The whole concept is to create a balance between them. If you skip on one thing, it will eventually affect the other. Work and pay attention to both the elements simultaneously and unequivocally. Only then will the branding shine and the marketing have enough support from the branding operations to make the best marketing decisions and processes in the market. Branding is important because even the best marketing in the world can’t save a brand that doesn’t know who it is.
