What does the word brand represent and mean? The word brand means name, design, term, symbol, or some other phenomenon used in marketing, and with the help of this word a distinction is made between- the product or service of one manufacturer and the product or service of other manufacturers, ie the competition.

This term is used too often nowadays and is an integral part of companies’ marketing strategies. Today, even for ordinary citizens, it is very easy to see the difference when it comes to a cheap or amateur brand compared to professional branding. To that end, today in this article we will highlight some key differences between- cheap and professional branding.

What are the key differences that companies, as well as consumers who buy the same products, should pay attention to? Many businesses, whether they are small companies that have just appeared on the market or large corporations that have existed for a long time, make the first mistake in this regard.

They believe that for a product to become a brand, it is only necessary to design a logo that will be unique and different from the others. But this is a wrong approach. Why? Because to be a product brand it has to have other recognizable features besides the logo. It is not just the logo that makes a product a brand. The brand consists of several elements such as:

• The brand name should be simple and easy to remember. This is the key moment for the further operation of the company. The name does not have to be made up of many words that will be complicated to remember.
• Logo, which should be easily noticeable and identifiable with the product itself.
• Slogan or saying, which should be short and clear, accompanied by an audio melody or without it. The slogan should be a short saying that when we hear it will immediately associate us with the product.
• The appearance of the product or the packaging in which it is packaged, to be attractive to consumers and makes them consume the product again.
• Color, the combination of colors should be easy on the eye. To use colors that will entice the one who has not used the product so far, and not make him move away from it.
• Smell and taste, to be unique compared to products from the same category.

The second mistake that companies make when it comes to branding is the financial resources they set aside for this purpose. They want to build a product that will become a brand on the market with as little money as possible. However, these cases are very rare, where' a company with a simple logo and very little investment, has reached the top and deserved its place among other top products and has become a brand.

This requires a lot of luck. For businesses to achieve what they are aiming for, they need to invest in a good design agency that will create the ideal and unique logo. This way they will become a professional brand. Amateurs usually do not pay attention to who makes their logo as long as the service does not cost too much money.

The third difference between- an amateur and professional branding is their interaction with consumers. The professional team will always try to put the wishes and needs of the consumers in the first place, because they are the leaders of the business, without them, there will be no brand. For example, you plan, as a marketing strategy to attract more customers, to make some change in the logo or slogan of the product.

A professional business company would do a survey, where'with the results of that survey I would find out what people think if that happens. Would the result of that change have a positive or negative effect on the business? While the amateurs, would not announce, would not inform the consumers about any change of the product, but would only do this overnight. This could lead to the loss of some loyal customers and negatively affect the operation of the business.

Yes, maybe hiring a cheap logo designer may pay off in the end, but in most cases, it does not. Because you need someone with experience, someone who will design a logo that will be authentic and unique, not just a faint copy of the competition. So first you need to decide what brand you want to be, whether you want to be cheap and ordinary or professional and unique in the market.

If the answer to this question is the second option, then be prepared to invest more in this action because this investment is not only short-term, it can give you positive feedback in the long run. The best brands are always easily recognizable by the consumers because the business has correctly determined the target group.

When this action is successful, when the right target group is determined correctly, commitment from consumers to the brand will appear. This will cause them to have a continuous return on the product you are offering. When you fulfill all their wishes and requirements, you will be ahead of the competition, you can even be at the very top.

To become a professional brand, you need a lot of investment in the business. Coca-Cola, for example, did not become an overnight brand, it took years to be at the top of the competition. And the struggle to keep the top spot is still going on. It is crucial to remember that a business has several elements to focus on to be called a brand. If you focus and pay attention to all those elements, together with the interaction with the consumers, you have the recipe for becoming a professional brand.