by Liliana Grace

When evaluating marketing, it always seems to start with, “How did they hear about you?”   

The reality?  That worked 50 years ago. Today? Our world is so over marketed and “influencered." There are so many ways they could have seen or heard about you.  If you have the right marketing mix, then the answer isn’t as simple as the final ad that pushed them over the edge to make the call, text, or hit submit on the form fill. 

Every call, text, or form fill is a result of a process that started several times before they ever completed   the call, text or form.   

So, what makes them finally contact you?

The need, or curiosity around the product or services, combined with enough trust to believe that reaching out to the organization won’t be a complete waste of time. 

Once they have developed that level of trust, we know for certain it was rarely just one ad that did that. Yes, this means that even as good as your “bottom of funnel” might be, it likely took multiple interactions to get there.  Simply put, it isn’t just one ad that made them initiate a connection to you. 

What helped them move forward was the comprehensive marketing mix combined with the strength of your brand. 

So, for this article, let’s talk about branding in allegory form. 

Have you used a Band-Aid lately or an adhesive brand?  Have you used a Kleenex or a tissue? A Tylenol or an acetaminophen?  When a brand is so strong that it becomes the name for the industry… you have created category dominance.  When your brand is invisible, you need lots of bottom of funnel marketing to keep traffic coming in. But isn’t branding “so expensive?"

It may feel “expensive,” however, what is the value of category dominance?

Advertising without branding is the most expensive marketing you will ever do.

The reality is most organizations will overspend on their marketing over the lifetime of their organization because they are addicted to how bottom of funnel feels. Without branding and community awareness, you will always be competing to be the one at the “top” of the “bottom of funnel” strategies. 

Not only is that race to the top of the bottom exhausting, but it is also an obscenely expensive growth strategy with almost no shelf life. 

Branding is something you can, and should do, every day and every month. It is how you approach clients when they come in the door and in all aspects of your interactions.  Branding is also about being seen at Chamber of Commerce events and other community events where people can get to know you. It is about cool keepable swag. It is also about advertising that is visible every day, not just in bottom of funnel placements alone. 

True long term sustainable growth is created with solid branding strategies that combine top and middle of funnel. Optimized digital campaigns that focus on branding and click options are often the most powerful to help grow all other aspects of your advertising. Optimized digital campaigns are the oil that grease the wheels so to speak. 

Investing a portion of your advertising and outreach into branding is an investment in the long-term sustainability of your organization. To brand or not to brand can be a “make it or break it” reality for your organization. Branding creates a long-term healthy organization with sustainable results. 

Need help diversifying your budget to include branding along with your bottom of funnel? Reach out!  Finding a marketing coach and strategist is your first step. They will help you identify your persona, develop the brand, core messaging, and then design a comprehensive marketing strategy that blends all aspects of your marketing funnel to help establish your brand for the long term.

To your continued success,

Liliana Grace
Founder, L Grace Brands
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