So what exactly is branding?

There is a misconception that branding is about the creative side of business.
About the logo, advertising, copy or "look and feel." In part, this is true.

However, branding is, quite simply the entire user experience - the "relationship" between the company and the customer.

How a company makes a customer feel.
This applies to all companies, large and small.

In both online and off-line branding, it's about:

• How the customer is treated at the door (Your home page)
• How your product is packaged, what it looks like and how it's positioned on a shelf (website)
• How the sales process and staff treat the customer (navigation, online support , online orders)
• How the company handles complaints (returns, ease of contact)
• How a company positions itself as "trustful" and "credible" (a combination of the above, media treatment, etc.)

In the Internet world, if you can make your product different from a commodity you can achieve a pricing advantage.

In other words, price is not the driving force behind the sale, which means you can achieve better profits.

Branding should therefore be a key aspect of every business website.

Without creating this difference for the product you are selling, it can be viewed as homogenous by the consumer, thus a commodity and consumers will be driven solely on the price factor.

By offering product differences you will create pricing power, even over the transparency of the Internet.

This is also very much part of your USP.

Employing a direct branding strategy from your website will enable you to pitch directly to people viewing websites for information on your product and offer them the information, product difference and comparisons necessary to influence their purchasing decisions.

Every form of contact a company has with a customer is part of branding.

Because the Web is a more "user-driven" experience it poses some interesting branding challenges and opportunities.

It has the potential to deliver the company's identity, products, service - the whole box and dice - in the space of a few screens and within seconds.

Your website is where the entire experience comes together for the user - or maybe not.

Make no mistake: the number of consumers who make purchasing decisions online is growing exponentially.

If you provide a positive experience for these users, they'll talk.

And that language translates into dollars. B&BD