What is brand image? How to build one for your business

Do you sell products or services? Have you ever wondered what the brand image means for your business's growth? Brand image shapes customer satisfaction and loyalty, and it also affects profit directly. In this article, MONA Media will help you understand what brand image is, its benefits and how to build a successful brand image so your business can grow sustainably.

Brand Image: what is it?

Brand Image is the way people perceive a brand's ideas, materials and the trust they place in it. Building a strong brand image is very important, and it covers logo design, slogan, signage and more.

Every time a customer touches your brand, whether reading a social post, going through the buying process or getting support from customer service, it all adds up to a brand image.

Not every customer has the same experience, so keeping build your brand image consistent is a challenge. But if a business listens to feedback, analyzes customer behavior data and adjusts its marketing strategy to match, it can keep customers' trust and build a lasting competitive edge.

→ Read more about: What is rebranding? Steps to refresh your brand

What is the difference between brand identity and brand image?

Goals

The goal of building Brand Identity is to build awareness, attract new customers and keep customers loyal. The goal of Brand Image is about how the brand is seen from outside and the reputation it has earned.

Meaning

Brand Identity are the messages a business wants to send to customers through its products and services. Meanwhile, Brand Image is the impression and associations customers have of the brand.

What each expresses

Brand Identity depends on how the company presents itself to its target audience. Meanwhile, Brand Image shows its value through customers' interactions and experience with the brand.

Specific elements

Brand Identity includes specific elements such as mission, brand values, logo guidelines, colors, fonts, templates and assets. Brand Image refers to the intangible side of a brand and what customers imagine about it.

Active or passive

Creating a brand identity takes active involvement from company staff. Brand image, however, is passive: it forms from customers' real experience of the products and services.

How each is assessed

For a good brand identity, a business should review and improve consistency and fit. For brand image, a business wants to improve the consumer experience.

Why does brand image matter?

A good brand image is what every business works to build to reach its goals. You can get there by stepping up activities such as:

• Creating marketing strategy that work well to attract new customers and raise the business's profit.
• Developing new products under a brand customers already trust, which widens the brand's reach among your target customers.
• Building trust and rapport with current customers by introducing new, high-quality products and services.
• Building closeness with customers through promotions, gifts and good after-sales service.

So building a brand image plays a very important role in a business's growth, creating sustainable development and long-term growth.

Benefits of building a strong brand image

Brand image is one of the most important factors in a business's success. Investing in a positive brand image helps set the right direction and style for your business, shown through these benefits in detail.

Higher recognition thanks to brand image

A business builds its brand image through core message and the values it conveys via customer service, its website and social media. This helps customers form a better impression of the business.

→ Read more: What is brand awareness? How to build brand awareness

Standing out from competitors

A strong, distinctive brand image helps a business stand apart from its competitors and leave an impression on customers. A unique story and brand signs also matter when comparing and telling a business apart from its rivals.

Look more professional

A brand image includes logo, slogan, signage and many other elements, and it is how customers perceive the brand. A consistent brand image builds customer trust and a more professional look. It also supports sustainable, long-term growth by raising expectations for products and services.

A good brand image builds customer trust

Keeping a good brand image is how you attract and keep customers. To do this, define your brand's core values and communicate them clearly and consistently. When customers understand your core values and style, they find information about your products and services more easily. Better customer understanding of the brand builds loyalty and more peace of mind.

More referrals to others

Referrals bring more customers to a brand. When customers are impressed by your brand image, they may recommend your products or services to others.

Sometimes a quiet word of mouth passes on more trustworthy and useful information than TV or social media ads. It is one of the indirect benefits of a successful brand image.

While building a brand image, many businesses wonder whether to invest in image or focus only on products and services. In practice, everything a customer sees should look good and polished, from the website and documents to videos and media content.

Customers do not always admit it, but they are drawn to professionalism and good looks, and this strongly affects buying decisions. Some businesses hold back on investing in image for fear of the cost or of looking “flashy”, but it is an important factor for building trust and standing out in the market.

So why does investing in your brand image matter? And how do you make sure everything customers see meets a high standard? Watch the video below to find out more:

What digital branding means for brand image

Building a good brand image matters a great deal in the digital age. Use the online environment to leave a deep impression on customers. Digital development has helped thousands of businesses reach customers effectively. Discover digital branding and what it does for the image of your brand in the section below.

Connecting with customers on online platforms

Today, online customers can easily choose products and services from the information available. To stand apart from competitors, a business needs a clear, consistent digital brand strategy. Digital branding is the “bridge” that shows a business's image on digital media. Customers can then find business information and form an impression of the brand easily by using Digital Marketing.

Reaching many customers quickly

A brand needs to connect with customers through ads and media. In the past, customers mostly met a brand image through outdoor banners, flyers and TV ads. With digital, information can be delivered anytime, anywhere, and anyone can reach it quickly without interruption.

In addition, a business can influence how customers see its brand through channels social media such as Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, etc.

To reach a large pool of potential customers, the first requirement is to build a brand identity set that is professional and consistent in logo, colors, typography, messaging and more. When image and voice are aligned across every touchpoint, including your website, social media, online store and marketing materials, consumers can remember you and choose you with trust.

Understanding the challenges many businesses face, MONA Media offers brand identity design service is a professional, reputable choice.

What do you get when you choose MONA Media for brand identity design?

• Brand logo design: Our design team comes up with an original brand logo idea that suits your field of business.
• Sales and marketing materials design: Product packaging design, advertising banner design hay poster design and many other marketing materials.
• Brand Guidelines: Design of a full brand guideline covering logo, colors, fonts, images and more.
• Media strategy consulting: Building your brand image with a marketing strategy of its own.
• On-time delivery: With a professional design process, MONA commits to delivering complete design files that meet your brief, on time.
• Brand recognition through marketing video: MONA also offers a range of services such as quay TVC, a company introduction film,…

So what are you waiting for? Contact MONA Media now and work with our team on an original brand identity made only for your business.

Winning more new customers

A well-planned Branding strategy on the internet helps a business raise its brand's impact and strengthen the “deepest awareness” in customers' minds. If the brand makes an impression, it is easy to find on search engines and social channels, and attracts new customers who come to know it.

Effective channels for promoting your brand image

Once you have studied and built your brand image, you can step up brand promotion to build a base of loyal customers and increase sales. So what channels promote a brand image?

• Website: Build your brand image through your website, provide information about the brand and increase customers' recognition of it.
• Content: Provide rich content on your blog, guest articles and other content to raise your brand's profile.
• Social (social media): Share information on social media to increase engagement with customers and influencers in your field.
• SEO complete guide: Optimize for search engines to improve your business's ranking on the popular ones.
• Paid Marketing: Build brand awareness among target customers on platforms they trust.
• Email Marketing: Maximize ROI by delivering content that fits your audience.
• Influencer/KOL: Use celebrity influence to carry your brand message.
• PR/Event: Improve your image and spread key messages through news outlets and trade publications.

How a business builds its brand image

According to Riezebos, a brand image can be built through 3 processes: Marketing communication, consumer experience and social influence.

Marketing communications

Communication and marketing help a business convey its brand identity and influence how consumers perceive it. They also keep identity and brand image aligned and carry the business's message to consumers.

Consumer experience

Both marketing communication and consumer experience affect brand image. The two need to work together so consumers understand the product better. If an ad message differs from real experience, brand image building suffers. So marketing communication has to be honest, to avoid gaps in the consumer experience.

Social influence

Word of mouth is a powerful way to influence consumers, because it involves discussion among many people. Opinions are seen as more credible than other kinds of communication and affect brand image. So social influence can shape what customers think and believe about a product.

How to build a brand image for your business

To build a professional brand image and reach customers more easily, you can follow the steps below for your business.

Define your vision, mission and core values

This is the first step in creating your brand image. Defining vision, mission and core values helps unify all later activities. Inconsistent activity can hurt your reputation. A business needs to state clearly the mission, vision and value it brings to customers to build a stronger image.

Define your target audience

To define a target audience, a business should research using several methods to learn customers' demographics and psychology. It can then craft the right message and build a brand image that impresses customers.

Brand positioning statement

A value statement about the business's products and services for customers is what sets it apart from competitors. A business can convey a goal of solving all the problems its customers face.

Building brand positioning, a business needs to identify its strengths and study its competitors to build the right strategy. Telling a distinctive brand story that makes a strong impression on customers is also a good way to position a brand.

Creating a brand personality

Creating a brand personality is very important for building a positive brand image. It helps customers see what makes the business different and stands out. This personality will be used in all future communication and visual identity, so it must suit the business goals of each industry and each business.

Building a brand image with consistent elements

Each business has its own brand identity so customers can recognize its products and services. The elements of a brand image include logo, text, icons, images, colors, a brand ambassador and more. These small details position the brand and raise customer recognition. A business image built on a brand identity creates a better, more professional impression.

Measuring brand image

After creating a brand image, a business needs to measure how customers perceive the brand. It can run online surveys or meet customers, staff or partners in person. The results help the business set the right direction for the future.

Examples of successful brand image building

At the end of this article, MONA gives you some concrete examples of successful brand image to help you picture it more clearly.

Examples of brand image affecting a business:

• Coca Cola: Images product photos drinks from this brand are linked with moments of fun and happiness.
• Colgate: This toothpaste brand is widely used in households, and trust is the message Colgate sends to users through its brand image.
• McDonald’s: This brand is linked with cheap fast food.
• Apple: This brand is linked with high-tech products.

This article from MONA Media has covered the concept of the brand image what brand image is, its role and how to build one for your business. You now understand the key elements of creating an impressive, distinctive brand image for customers. Put this knowledge and these skills into practice to raise the value and reputation of your brand!

If you need corporate photography or personal photo shoots to build a professional image and position yourself better, contact MONA for a consultation and a great set of photos.

For details, please contact:

• Address: 1073/23 Cach Mang Thang Tam, Tan Son Nhat Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
• Hotline: 1900 636 648
• Email: info@themona.global