Dead Branding Kills Your Business

Reading time: 4 minutes

This one’s for the businesses who think brand design isn’t important and for the creatives who want to offer more than just a logo or regular graphics for their clients.

Let's be real, one of the reasons your business isn't doing well is because you may have an amazing product/service but you're brand design isn’t getting you noticed. How do check? Do this simple test - Compare your website, social media, logo, product photography or video ad to an already established company in the same industry.

See the difference? Most likely yours can't even compare to what they've produced because the it’s like comparing gravel to gold.

You’re chasing sales but neglecting branding… and you're working with the wrong people who aren't helping you either! And it’s costing you. So let’s fix it.

Branding is all about perception, and if you're not shaping yourself to be what your customers want to see and feel then you're BLEEDING MONEY 📉💸

Here’s how.

📈 Good Perception = Value 📈

People judge at first glance. That's a fact. And if you don’t have an eye-catching, show-stopping brand identity for your company then why would anyone care to look twice? A solid, and well-built brand design instantly communicates authenticity, credibility, quality and differentiation. If your brand looks like it was a rushed, DIY-job or put together in a few hours by someone on Fiverr then you're not conveying quality - you're conveying carelessness. And that’s a huge red flag for any potential customer. 🚩🚩🚩

Would anyone really buy from you if your brand doesn’t look like it was built to succeed?

Ask yourself, could you see your brand in its current state impressing entrepreneurs, investors, celebrities, your industry heroes and the general public if it was displayed on a billboard or turned into an ad? If no, then you gotta level up and work with those who can elevate your game.

🗣️ Make Noise or Get Muted - Your Choice 🗣️

Everyone is fighting for attention these days. Every business is offering something and trying to stand out in their respective spaces.

Branding is the key to making real noise in your industry and speaking directly to your audience. Without it, you’ll get lost in the chaos.

We don't create brand identities just for the sake of aesthetics, we create brands with a strategy that works for you. This is what all great creative thinkers have done for their clients and the proof of this is in the works they've done. If brand design is done right, you communicate what makes you, YOU, and it allows you to position yourself and create a space which you own. It allows you to build your empire and become a leader.

And when done carelessly, then you're just another generic company, with another generic product trying to do another generic hustle, bound to get lost. It’s almost inevitable.

Brand and make noise or stay bland and get muted. 🔇

🤝 Customer Connection 🤝

As mentioned, brand design isn't just about making yourself look pretty — it's emotional and it's intentional. That's the reason why we see billboards, print ads, packing and more from big names showing off their products in a way which catches people's attention and conveys the product, service or their company in an effective manner in a way that works. Even if you don’t buy from them, you’ve paid attention and it’s stuck with you.

Studies showed that some brands gained 70% higher revenue based on the emotional connection that the customer had with them.

A well-designed and strategic brand design connects on a human level and creates an experience that feels consistent, trustworthy, and intentional. That’s what keeps customers coming back because of the connection you’ve developed.

An example of this is Nike - they’ve created a culture of motivation and achievement through their brand, products, presentation and slogan (“Just Do It”). This connects with their audience on a deeper level, and that's why people don’t just buy their sneakers and apparel — they buy into mindset.

So, what's your connection point with your customers and how can you showcase this in your branding?

🤑 Increased Conversions 🤑

Better branding = better user experience. A seamless UX = more conversions. This can be done through the messaging, experience (both online or in-person), design, and awareness.

I can't stress this enough - there's been so many times where I've seen adverts making an offer for a product yet the design was so congested and overwhelming that it made little sense what I was even looking at and I instantly discarded or skipped it. Don't underestimate UX when it comes to your branding and products! Whether it's an email, or getting people to book a call, enquiring about your offer and following up with further information - a clean, cohesive, and thoughtful design guides user's behaviour. It literally moves money.

🎮 Play the Long Game 🎮

Always remind yourself that you're not just selling a product or service — you're building a brand and you need the right people to join you for the ride because the more your brand stands out, feels consistent and looks the part, the more value you'll build and more wins you’ll gain. 🔥

That’s how small businesses turn into full-blown movements.

Take my friends at Zawaj Cards, for example. I worked closely with Taha (Founder of Zawaj Cards) to build the brand’s identity - colours, illustrations, messaging, logo design, icons, print material and so much more - and now they're innovators and leaders in their niche AND they’ve got a brand identity that gets them noticed. More power to them and can’t wait to show off what else we’ve been cooking up behind the scenes.

Brand design isn't a cost, it’s an investment and it leads to growth.

In summary:

📈 Good Perception = Greater Value

🗣️ Make Noise or Get Muted

🤝 Customer Connection

🤑 Increased Conversions

🎮 Play the Long Game

Let’s go geddit.