Social Media Marketing Expert April Michelle Davis took part in a Facebook discussion in January on the importance of branding. As a follow up to this discussion, Karen S. Elliot wrote an article about it for the Word Shark and quoted April Michelle on February 3 in a blog entry titled “What Is Branding?”
Branding is the recognizable characteristics that represent you and your business. April Michelle expresses it as, “My website, business card, print materials, and everything about my company has the same colors, fonts, look, and feel.” April Michelle’s brand provides a consistent message through the colors, fonts, look, and feel that flows to her newsletter, Facebook pages, and blog.
But branding is not just about what you can see, it also represents what you value. Yes, branding is tangible yet also intangible. Branding is your word, as in the promise you make to your clients to provide them with a superior product—and the clients’ expectations. It is your public image, your reputation, that follows you in all you do. Your branding is out there for all to see and make judgments.
All publishing professionals, freelancers, authors, and publishers, should guard their brands, because the effect of a brand can make or break your business. And freelancers should take into consideration the scope of the project before taking it on, because once a brand has been tarnished it may be difficult to rebuild.