Branding or Marketing? UMMM ....Striking the Balance!

How SMC Owners Can Win with Both Brand Building and Performance Marketing

Summer 2023- YES I am referring to a year ago...stick with me I know it's technically Fall! Harvard Business Review published a thought-provoking article, How Brand Building and Performance Marketing Can Work Together. As I reread it yesterday (Sept 2024), I couldn’t help but reflect on how the insights from the article apply to today’s fast-paced, data-driven market, especially for small and mid-sized companies (SMCs). Performance marketing is undeniably a powerful tool—it delivers quick wins like sales, leads, and clicks—but the long game of building a strong, recognizable brand is equally important. So how do you make sure that your brand remains strong while hitting those short-term goals? The key is balance.

Here are a few strategies SMC owners can use to leverage both performance marketing and brand building for sustainable growth:

1. Stop Thinking It's Either-Or

A lot of business owners see brand building as a long-term game and performance marketing as the here-and-now revenue driver. The truth is, treating them like two sides of a coin will end up weakening both. Align your brand-building goals with your performance marketing efforts, so every sale or click also builds your brand’s equity.

Quick Win: Set up some simple metrics to track how both brand building and performance are doing—think customer loyalty, brand awareness, and sales. Keep these in mind when deciding where to spend your marketing budget.

2. Clarify Your Brand’s Core Message

Your brand is more than just a cool logo or tagline. It’s the promise you make to your customers and how you make them feel. Having a crystal-clear brand message ensures your marketing, whether it’s a social media ad or an email campaign, stays consistent and hits the right tone.

Quick Win: Ask yourself these four questions to nail down your brand positioning:

• What’s your purpose beyond profits?
• What emotions do you want your customers to feel?
• What’s the real value you’re providing?
• How do customers experience your brand?

Keep this at the forefront of every marketing decision to ensure consistency across the board.

3. Use Data to Work Smarter, Not Harder

With so much data at our fingertips, it’s time to work smarter. Track both short-term gains (like sales) and long-term impact (like customer retention and brand loyalty). The insights from your data will show you what’s working and where you need to adjust, helping you find the sweet spot between driving results and building your brand.

Quick Win: Implement a tracking system that measures both brand equity (how people feel about your brand) and short-term results like clicks and conversions. This will help you see the bigger picture.

4. Focus on the Right Audience

Not all customers are created equal. The key is identifying which customer segments offer the most potential for both short-term results and long-term loyalty. That’s where the magic happens—growing your revenue while solidifying your brand's presence.

Quick Win: Regularly assess which audience segments are giving you the most bang for your buck, both in terms of conversions and customer loyalty. Tailor your marketing efforts to target these groups and watch the impact grow.

5. Measure Brand Equity as Part of Performance Marketing

Too often, performance marketing focuses solely on short-term wins. But if those efforts are damaging your brand, you could end up paying the price later. Integrating brand equity into your performance metrics ensures you’re not just gaining short-term traction but also building long-term success.

Quick Win: Survey your customers to get a pulse on how they feel about your brand. Do this before and after running a performance campaign. This will give you valuable insight into how your marketing is impacting your brand over time.

By taking a balanced approach, you can ensure that every marketing dollar you spend works to build your brand and drive sales—because why settle for one when you can have both?

PS I asked ChatGPT to create a image that would align with my opEd ! and that's what it generated! I love the creative fun with AI powered GPT but trust me I need my graphic designers and artist! YOU will not be replaced!

Shirelle N. Francis Founder & CEO, iLeapGroup

Keynote Speaker | IT & Cybersecurity Consultant

Empowering businesses with transformative Cybersecurity & AI solutions.

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