Yesterday I came across an intriguing LinkedIn post by Dmitry Shamis.

He argued that Brand should not be considered part of marketing. Rather, the branding team should sit next to departments that drive the company as a whole, like finance and operations.

I’m with Dmitry. If you view branding as just the way a company looks or sounds, then it makes sense to stick it in marketing. But brand is so much bigger than that. It’s about what drives the company, what products or services the company will choose to carry

When I created a Brand Messaging Guide for Purple Exhibits, here is what the founder Itzy Holczler had to say about the experience: “I was amazed by Chavy's process, the thoroughness of the research and deep understanding of the market. The final copy not just expressed to the world what my company sells, it helped ME clarify our company goals and mission.”

And that’s the point of branding done well. It helps you figure out what your company direction should be.

When you’re unsure of what your next step should be - if you should offer that new product or service, how to respond to that client - a look at your brand guidelines should help you get to the right choice.

Is it something you need the minute you start your business? No. In fact, it’s probably better not to solidify your brand until you’ve been in business for long enough that you know what your customers really want and what you really want to do for them.
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But if you’re a semi or fully established business, you need the clarity that comes with branding.

Did you recently have a situation when you weren't really sure what decision to make? I'd love to hear about it and try to help you clarify things for yourself.

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