When was the last time you received an advertisement to buy an Apple product? Apple is not just an iPhone or MacBook. Nescafe is far more than coffee. Nike goes far beyond the shoes it manufactures. Coca-Cola is not just a soda. In other words, it’s all about creating experiences and feelings related to them. That is the essence of branding. In your marketing efforts to convert or create an experience, the latter always wins. Without much ado, let’s talk about the correlation between branding and sales. Great companies don’t sell – these companies brand. 

About two decades ago, the perfect and ideal marketing plan would account for revenue generation, expenses, profits, etc. Branding revolved mostly around radio and television ads. 

But for better or worse, these simpler times are behind us. We live in the age of the internet. Social media and Google are kicking everything that was once conventional to the curb. Want to buy a new dress, get a loan or maybe just visit that new restaurant around the corner? Google has become the near-universally trusted go-to adviser. The world is a global village in the age of the internet. Brand matters in our universal proximity. So how are you going to be relevant in this day, age, and time? 

Today, companies can do so much with branding. Opportunities to leverage brands to expand a business, boost sales, amplify credibility, and ultimately the bottom line are endless. Of course, it’s important to find a branding company that can take care of your company’s branding in the most efficient way possible. But before you do that, let’s dig into what branding means and how it concretely affects your sales. 

Understanding Branding 

Brand strategy is a persistent process that requires getting in touch with the heart of your customers and the core of your business. It’s about researching and applying a unique set of features to your organization, so your customers start associating your brand with your business. This strategy is your biggest asset and how you’re going to stay relevant for the next 50 years.

Branding attracts curious consumers and builds loyalists. Sales, on the other hand, push people towards your product or service. Combine the two, and you’re golden. Your brand should support your sales. Contrary to what is widely believed, when it comes to consumer choices, brands have quite a bit of value.

Imagine you’re in a supermarket buying cooking oil. Do you purchase the plane looking unlabeled one? Oil is just oil, right? Not quite. Consumers will pay a premium price for the bottle adorned with labels celebrating the heart-healthy qualities of the product. Their family’s health depends on it. For example, consumers trust Saffola because they have built their credibility through consistent quality. Through the years, the company has provided persistent messaging as a ‘healthy oil for healthy people.’ 

A recent survey showed that over 60% of shoppers pick up brands they recognize and regularly buy, and around 21% picked up a brand because they liked it. To be in business today, the most important job is to market the brand called you. It’s just as simple as it is tough and unavoidable. 

Branding, in e-commerce, is even more difficult and important. As Inkbot Design points out, an online brand has to work twice as much to establish credibility. E-commerce is built by brands and products that aren’t tangible. So, stepping outside the norms to engage and better serve the consumers is crucial to keep them coming back for more. 

How Exactly Does Branding Affects Sales? 

Below are some basic techniques and tricks that will enhance your branding and sales game. 

Packaging 

So, what does packaging have to do with branding? Let’s unpack that. Packaging is a great way to make an instant and amazing first impression on your customer. 

Split packaging into three parts. First, functionality. The parcel with the product must reach its destination safely with no damage. The next two are the sensory and emotional part of the packaging. These are where the whole ballgame is. Companies like Organic India, Wishing Chair, or Forest Essentials invest heavily in making their delivery packages personalized, ecological, sustainable, quirky, minimalistic, or just plainly delightful. 

Give your consumers a reason to share their experiences. 

Website 

Don’t underestimate the power of a well-designed website. Much like an offline shop, the online store represents the brand’s essence. Think of brands like Nike and the inside of their stores – it’s colorful and consistent with their brand image. Their website also embodies the same elements. On the other hand, if you’ve taken a look at Nappa Dori’s website, it has a different charm altogether. This brand sells handmade leather products and has a very bespoke chic online space.

Tracking 

Websites are perceived as an extension of physical stores. So, naturally, the time gap between the payment and getting the product is an impatient one. This brings up lots of insecurities even before a purchase is made. Potential customers are already concerned about their order being delivered in time, if it’ll be damaged and what the options are if it’s broken. Let your customers know their rights and that you will value and protect their package as if it is your own. Integrate a good tracking system that proactively updates your customer on the location of his package. Keep the communication line open, reassure them that their anticipation is going to be worth it.

Brand Marketing 

The Internet has changed the way we shop and look at retail experiences. This transformation has created a lot of opportunities. An ideal brand plan starts with a vision, a destination that defines what the brand symbolizes or represents. Then we move on to our mission, which is going to be the overall plan of attack to launch your brand. 

Since e-commerce websites are visual operations, make sure you tap into relevant social media to make full use of your marketing budgets. Content marketing can be done in various ways. Optimize your product page for short, product-driven keywords. Write engaging blogs for your customers to visit and talk about socially. This is one of the best and most efficient ways to capitalize on user-generated content. This means finding out ways for your customers to promote your business on their own. Word-of-mouth is still as powerful a tool in the digital world as it was in the pre-internet days. 

Any business can have their 15 minutes of fame or make one large sale. But that will not produce long term results. Instead, be the one to build your brand and an army of loyalists for years to come. 

The Bottom Line 

If you don’t want your business to flop, it’s important to take good care of your branding needs. The better your branding identity is designed, the higher the sales. The higher the sales, the better the ROI. You want to establish a special bond with your audience and an even steadier connection with your particular customers. And you can’t do that if your brand doesn’t reflect your business effectively and attractively.