Branding has been around since 350 A.D and is derived from the word “Brandr”, meaning “to burn” in Ancient Norse language. By the 1500s, it had come to mean the mark that ranchers burned on cattle to signify ownership. Yet branding today is more than just a look or a logo. It has come to signify the emotional “gut feeling” reaction a company can elicit from its customers

A lot of entrepreneurs and would-be business owners contact me because they want a great logo for their business.

And almost every time, I have to tell them that a logo is the last thing they need.

When I ask these entrepreneurs why they want a great logo, they tell me it’s because they want to create a great brand. I think that’s fantastic. In fact, brand is one of the most valuable assets you can invest in. In an environment with fierce competition and constant change, your brand is what will make customers choose you over one of your many competitors.

But your logo is not your brand.

If you’ve read any books about marketing or branding, you’ve probably heard that line before.

The marketing industry is full of jargon, and half the time the people peddling this jargon don’t even know what they’re actually saying.