Strategies to Boost Brand Awareness Using Your Series-A Funding
The Main Takeaways:
What truly defines and positions your brand?
Why is it crucial to invest in your brand at every Growth Stage?
What are the key elements to consider when building your Brand DNA?
Principles for building your brand effectively
The unrecognized challenges you may face in the brand-building process
1. What Truly Defines and Positions Your Brand?
Defining what a brand is has been widely discussed and debated by leading marketers, brand strategists, and business leaders.
One of the most popular definitions of a "brand," often attributed to Marty Neumeier, is: “A brand is not what you say it is, it's what they (your customers) say it is”. This idea ties directly into the concept of brand positioning:
“You want to build businesses, outmaneuver competitors, even disrupt industries. You’re not happy just to satisfy customers. You want to delight them. Engage them. Empower them. You want to organize them into an army of advocates who’ll spread the word about your product, service, or company.”
- Marty Neumeier
In essence, effective brand positioning shapes how customers perceive and connect with your brand - turning your stakeholders into loyal advocates.
When developing a product or service, the focus should be on the customer perspective rather than solely on the company's vision.
Ultimately, it is the customer's perception of your brand that defines its identity. This concept emphasizes that a brand is fundamentally about how consumers perceive the unique value of your product, service, or company. This perception is shaped through multi-layered branding.
In today's marketplace, where customer experiences and interactions significantly influence brand reputation, effectively understanding and managing these perceptions is crucial for achieving success.
A brand is more than just a name, logo, tagline, color scheme or website. Business owners and C-suite leaders may dismiss it as redundant, believing that they can save money by not using a brand strategy. The truth is, with a strong brand strategy, they could leverage it to expand their business and close more deals.
2. Invest in Your Brand at Every Growth Stage
Investing in your brand is essential at every growth stage, as it directly influences your market presence and long-term success. In the initial phase, a strong brand identity helps establish recognition and trust, which are crucial for attracting early adopters.
As your business matures, continued investment in branding fosters customer loyalty and differentiates your offerings in a competitive landscape. Additionally, during periods of expansion, strategic branding can amplify your reach and enhance market penetration. Ultimately, a well-managed brand not only drives immediate returns but also lays the foundation for sustainable growth and resilience in fluctuating markets.
In my experience, building brands from the ground up, a brand is a living entity with its own DNA and beating heart. When the core of your brand is clear, relatable to your target clients, and responsive to their needs, you’ll have a brand that is both approachable and always evolving.
3. Key Components of Your Brand DNA
The fundamental elements for building a strong brand
It is the brand DNA and the narrative that connects your customer’s experience, weaving together products, services, marketing messages, digital touchpoints, teams, advocates (including family and friends), and investors into a cohesive brand.
Rooted in company culture, it tells the story of who you are and the impact you aim to make on people’s lives.
A strong brand clearly communicates the significance of your business
and why, in a world with so many options, your ideal customer should choose your brand.
Through my work with numerous founders and startups, I have learned that building the brand DNA and positioning should begin early. Focusing on the solution you provide from the start ensures it is clear and easily understood by your audience.
4. Principles in Building Your Brand Effectively
Can a company truly gain an edge through its branding?
This question has been debated for a long time, and the answer is YES!
Your startup's brand can provide you with a competitive edge and help you boost your brand recognition tremendously.
Many known companies succeed because of their strong brand, which is being iterated, refreshed and strengthened overtime. The most powerful brands benefit from widespread recognition, driving revenue and facilitating further growth.
In the early stages, a strong brand can also help compensate for any product usability shortcomings and gain users’ sympathy. Therefore, building your brand in the right way can help your business grow as a whole.
Brands change our perception and our action:
Airbnb - changed the way we travel
Uber - changed the way we ride
Netflix -changed the way we consume entertainment
When you're starting out, the main focus is getting your product to the market, and finding the right customer, while keeping your cash flow in check.
To truly succeed in building a thriving startup, having a great product is just the beginning. You must also create a compelling ecosystem around it that makes it truly desirable.
Becoming a category leader in your industry is crucial to your evolution process, focusing on tackling unique problems rather than competing only on features or pricing.
Achieving widespread recognition within your niche and cultivating an outstanding reputation is essential. Trust me - after years of working closely with startups, my team and I know what it takes to succeed.
5. The Unrecognized Challenges You May Face
Brand alignment, both internal and external, overlaying an image of a glacier.
One observation I have made during my years of working with companies and startups is that, while the importance of branding from the earliest stages may be clear to some, there is often confusion among C-level executives, revenue teams, and marketing professionals about its significance and the right timing for leveraging the brand.
Another challenge I’ve observed is the difficulty startups face in clearly identifying and defining how their products and services address key customer pain points. What value does your brand provide in solving your clients’ real problems? What compelled you to invest significant time and resources into developing these solutions?
Defining your brand starts with understanding why your company exists and the problems it solves. Once you have a clear grasp of your customer’s needs and how your offerings address them, you can develop an effective brand strategy.
Aligning your business strategy with your brand strategy is crucial to building a strong brand.
I hope this article highlights the benefits of investing in your brand. I'd be happy to offer you a complimentary 15-minute consultation to discuss your vision and brand strategy.
Text: The Bigger Picture. Image: a complex space with stairs’ elevations to personify the ability to see into the future.
Ideally, your brand connects with the bigger picture: Why does your business exist?
Real-Life Brand Example: Airbnb
Airbnb's origin story began when its founders, Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia, struggled to pay their rent. To make extra money, they rented out air mattresses in their apartment during a design conference in San Francisco. This experience revealed a significant opportunity to create a marketplace for unique accommodations and experiences, addressing people’s real-life problems. Embracing this origin story has profoundly shaped Airbnb's mission-driven, community-focused brand.
To really make the most of it, your brand strategy and business plan should work together and support each other. (Tip: We have shared articles on Brand Playbook and best practices on brand consistency, take a look).
Concluding thoughts
Investing in your brand is key for long-term success. A strong brand goes beyond a logo or name; it shapes customer perceptions and experiences. Prioritizing branding builds recognition, trust, and loyalty, helping businesses and startups stand out in a competitive market.
Research shows that consistent messaging and clear identity help brands command premium prices and foster deeper connections, leading to higher lifetime value and a stronger market presence.
Ready to invest in your startup future?
Make a wise decision to
invest in your brand and
elevate its value today.
Author
Limor Morgenstern - Brand Expert for Global Brands | Brand Expert | Strategic Advisor |
Limor Morgenstern is the founder of Noop Innovations and LMD Designs creative and strategic powerhouse with over 16 years’ experience in all aspects of building enduring brands. From Fortune 100 companies to start-ups, She specializes in end-to-end brand development and solutions across both B2C and B2B, spanning consumer goods, technology, biotech, services, media, and financial services. See more
Dr. Pazit Levitan EdD CFRE- Strategic Editing for purpose-driven businesses and nonprofit organizations.
Pazit is experienced in guiding individuals, teams, and advising private foundations and charity organizations on strategic planning, board engagement, fundraising, program development, community-building and professional growth. She is a scholar in the field of adult education and leadership, a public speaker, a teacher, a researcher and a professional panel/webinar/retreat facilitator. See more
