When Should You Focus on Branding?

Branding is a hot topic in the entrepreneurial world, and for good reason. But the question I get asked most often is: "Should I focus on branding right now, or should I keep my head down and focus on sales?"

This is a question many entrepreneurs grapple with, especially when starting out. Here’s the short answer—yes, you should focus on branding, but the timing and strategy behind it are crucial.

Branding is essential, but it's not something you need to dive into from day one. In the early stages of your business, your primary focus should be on sales and proving that your product or service actually works. Why? Because no amount of branding can save a product that doesn’t deliver results.

Before you even think about investing time and resources into active branding, you need to ensure your foundation is solid. This means generating sales, collecting testimonials, and refining your processes.

?? Focus on Sales First

In the initial stages, from zero to $100,000 in revenue, your primary focus should be sales. It’s about getting your product into the hands of customers, solving their problems, and proving that your solution works. This is the phase where you're building the core of your business—your product's reputation.

Without solid sales, branding efforts can be wasted. Imagine building a beautiful, polished brand image around a product that doesn’t deliver what it promises. It’s like advertising a luxury item that turns out to be cheap and unreliable. The result? Disappointed customers and a tarnished reputation that no amount of branding can fix.

?? The Silent Power of Branding

Even when you’re not actively focusing on branding, you’re still building something important—what I call “silent branding.” Every positive customer experience, every problem you solve, every word-of-mouth recommendation contributes to your brand's image.

Think about it: When your customers start talking about the great results they’ve achieved using your product, they’re inadvertently building your brand for you. This kind of branding is powerful because it’s organic and rooted in genuine customer experiences.

Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the oldest and most effective forms of branding.

It’s slow, but it’s solid. And in the early stages, this is where your branding efforts should naturally begin—through your work, your results, and your relationships.

?? When to Shift to Active Branding

Now, let’s talk about when to shift gears into active branding. Active branding comes into play when your business has reached a certain level of stability. This doesn't necessarily mean hitting a specific revenue target; it’s more about the overall health of your business.

Here are the signs that it’s time to start focusing on active branding:

1. Consistent Sales: You have a proven sales process that consistently brings in new customers.
2. Positive Testimonials: Your customers are happy, leaving positive reviews, and recommending you to others.
3. Efficient Systems: Your operations are smooth, allowing you to spend more time working on your business rather than in it.

When these three elements are in place, you’re in a good position to start actively building your brand. This is when you can start creating content, engaging with your audience on social media, and investing in your brand’s image.

It’s important to understand that branding is a long-term game. Unlike sales, which can provide immediate returns, branding is about building equity over time.

The more people know, like, and trust your brand, the more they’ll choose you when they need what you offer. But this takes time, consistency, and effort.

Remember, branding won’t make you money right away, but it will build the trust and equity that will pay off in the long run.

So, when should you focus on branding? When your business is ready to support it, and you’re ready to play the long game.

PS: MY GIFT TO YOU FOR READING THIS ARTICLE

For All Agencies, Business Owners, Coaches and Consultants that want to grow and find an easier way to consistently get more quality clients…

I am a big believer in giving away my best stuff for free to help you grow your business.

As my mission is to truly help over 1,000,000 Founders and Entrepreneurs do business where it's fun and profitable.

So that’s why I want to share with you a free workshop going over how this simple strategy has helped over 1000+ businesses consistently find and close more top-quality clients

?? Click here