When you consider the benefits of embarking on a thorough discovery process with an experienced branding mentor, it is better to think of it as a valuable investment in your business.

Steve Forbes, Editor-in-chief of Forbes puts it like this...

"Your brand is the single most important investment you can make in your business."

What is a brand

To start with, we should define exactly what a brand is. And, it's way more than just a logo, but you probably knew that already! A brand is the story people tell themselves about your business. That narrative is affected by what you're called, what you stand for and the words you use to describe what you do. It's also the type of images you use, your colour palette, and yes, your logo is an important part of it, too.

What are the benefits of branding?

The most obvious benefit is that people will begin to notice and recognise your business. Not only that but when they look, they will understand what your business does and how it will improve their life. They will also see something that informs them about your business's qualities and values.

Taking the time to view your business from a different perspective, results in clarity and confidence, that you wouldn't be able to access without taking the discovery journey. A journey that will leave you with a clear brand strategy, all the visual assets necessary to tell the world and the motivation to do just that.

How does the branding process work?

Helping a business to discover the best version of their brand is not easy to measure in a traditional time and materials metric but as a guide, a typical project might take between 50-80 hours of actual studio time. However, my creative process is an immersive approach and you often get a lot more. When I'm working on your brand it's constantly being thought about. You never know when an epiphany might arrive, although in my case it's often at 4 am! You get access to experience and expertise gained during over 30 years in the design and communication industry. I have state-of-the-art tools and access to all the necessary ingredients. During my career, I have built a knowledge of typography, colour theory, and efficient brand messaging. This is my passion and, very often, when I'm not *actually* working, I'm studying design or being creative in other ways.

Will having better branding make my business more successful?

All things being equal, brilliant branding will help you to stand out in your market. But don't take my word for it, here's a saucy story about how a strong brand is the perfect accompaniment to a good product.

There's a lot of choice when it comes to ketchup, but everybody knows that Heinz is the premium option, right? The market leader. You can buy much cheaper sauce, and sometimes that is the right thing to do, but when you want the best, chances are you'll be picturing the shape of the Heinz label in your head. That's branding, right there!

Valhalla's approach to branding is based on a brand needing to do three things. Grab attention, be memorable, and give your customers an idea of what they're getting. Heinz delivers this in delicious big dollops!

Talking of dollops, those iconic glass bottles are a real pain, aren't they? The sauce won't come out unless you give the bottom a few hefty thuds with the heel of your hand. What did Heinz do about this? Not only did they cleverly decide to own that particular technique of encouraging the ketchup from the bottle by featuring it in their advertising, but they wrapped it all up in a 'good things are worth waiting for' message.

With this bit of delicious genius, they turned a negative into a positive.

But what do you get for your money? The best ingredients, over 150 years of experience in garnishing plates, and a unique look. I'm not just talking about the packaging, either. They say the first mouthful is with the eyes, and Heinz is very proud of the colour of their tomato ketchup. So much so in fact, that they matched the edge of their famous label to the specific shade to stop restaurants from refilling their bottles with inferior sauces. Another example of creative problem-solving. You can see the ad here.

So, to go back to the original question, the cost of branding varies.

There's something for everyone, and to some extent, you get what you pay for. If you want to benefit from some serious branding experience, embark on a process where time is taken to collect the best ingredients and marinade them until you have a memorable brand that properly represents your business, then investing a bit more is a prudent choice.

Want to taste before you buy? Sign up for a FREE Fearless Brand Review today and you can do just that.

Is branding expensive?

"Your brand is the single most important investment you can make in your business."

What is a brand

How does the branding process work?

5 ways to combat creative block