What Differentiates a Business From a Brand?

As digital baristas who live and breathe branding, pondering the difference between a business and a brand feels the same as comparing a triple-shot Americano and glass of water! 

Both are a necessity, however, they’re very different.

To put it this way, the Americano cannot exist without the water. In the same way, your brand cannot exist without your business! But we have some more explaining to do – this can be a confusing topic, so buckle up!

The Difference Between a “Business” & a “Brand”

Every business, however small or large, has the potential to be a brand, but very few actually put in what it takes to get there. In fact, most business owners don’t even recognize their potential. Why?

The honest and sad truth is that too many people want too much and to do too little to succeed. As much as we would love to say that branding is for everyone, it’s not.

Branding is only for those who are willing to invest in their business. And we’re not just talking about investing money. The biggest investment you will make is your time. 

Your Business

Let’s start with the basics. You already know what your business is, but we’re going to break it down in a different way for you.

Your business is the foundation of everything you do. There are many factors that go into a business, from a business model and a business plan to SOPs and more! 

It is incredibly difficult to build off of a business that doesn’t have clear goals, objectives, and systems in place. A business is always growing and changing but formulating a general plan is necessary to start. Branding can certainly help to solidify some of your business planning and goals, however, it should not be considered a crutch or an avenue to grow your business. Without proper planning of services, pricing, billing, and employees, you can’t expect your brand to run your business. 

Rather than thinking of the two interchangeably, consider your brand to be a tool for your business! 

Your Brand

You can think of your brand as the personality of your business. This is where you can build connections and trust around the foundation of your business! 

The competition is fierce in today’s market and your brand is the key ingredient that can help your business stand out from the rest.

We’ve discussed the topic of branding at great lengths. Check out some of our helpful blogs on the topic:

Brand Strategy for Building a Strong Brand

Developing a Brand PersonalityYour Audience Will Love

While branding does include color schemes and logos, it goes beyond that to create an experience for your clients. The purpose of a brand is to build an emotional connection with your audience. 

When considering your brand as a tool for your business, building connections help with engagement, referrals, and customer loyalty. Creating and maintaining a cohesive brand experience allows for better retention than you may have without. 

Your brand gives your business that human-like quality for others to connect with. 

Business + Brand

When a solid business foundation is paired with excellent branding, the sky’s the limit! 

Branding can do a lot for your business but without a clear understanding of where you’re going and how you’re getting there, trying to brand your business could bring on more confusion than anything else. 

If you take away anything from our blog today, we hope you understand that great branding can do wonders for your business! It helps you stand out in a saturated market and will take your business to new heights if done correctly.

Once you feel confident in the direction you plan to take in business, the next best step is to create an amazing brand to propel your business to the next level! If you’re ready to take that step, we’re here to answer all your questions!

Ready to start the branding process today? Fill out our Discovery Form!