It’s a simple truth. Bad branding can mean bad business. It can give people a negative view of your company and negatively affect their experience. Branding is an expression of who you are as a company — your values, your integrity, and your mission. Brand management is vital to your company’s success because bad branding can cost your company in terms of perception and trust.
Examples of Bad Branding
Poorly designed logo.
A logo that is confusing, too complex, or not immediately recognizable can hurt your business.
Ignoring social media.
It’s not enough to have a social media page. Your followers expect consistent, relevant content. If you use your social media page as nothing more than an electronic billboard, posting only advertisements for your products or other self-serving content, consumers will be turned off. In addition, if you’re not posting on a regular schedule, you can give the wrong impression. If someone finds your Facebook page and notices that you haven’t posted anything in 2 months, they may view your brand as careless or sloppy, or even worse, they may assume you’re no longer in business.
Dishonesty.
There are numerous examples of companies using dishonest practices — fabricating tweets for use in advertising or bending the truth in response to a public dispute. Even the most minor misrepresentation can have far-reaching implications if you try to pass it off as the truth.
4 Ways Bad Branding Can Mean Bad Business
1. Bad branding can erode trust.
Much of the trust between a company and the consumer is built at an emotional level. Failure to build a personal connection through meaningful and relevant content can lead to a loss of trust.
2. Bad branding can cause your business to be seen as careless.
For example, publishing content with poor grammar or typos can lead to the perception that your company is careless and doesn’t pay attention to detail.
3. Bad branding can give consumers the impression that you don’t care about their needs.
Failure to integrate your branding throughout your company can lead to inconsistencies, giving the impression that you don’t care about what your customer needs.
4. Bad branding can lead to the perception that your products are of poor quality.
Poor or inconsistent branding — misalignment of a company’s online presence with other marketing materials, for example — can lead to the perception that your products and services are not held to the highest standard of quality.
Branding permeates every part of your company, from your logo and marketing to your products and customer service. If your company’s branding is inconsistent or confusing, or if it’s associated with poor quality or a bad customer service experience, it can lead to a loss of business and damage to your reputation. Don’t let bad branding lead to bad business in your company.
