Marketing Talk 101: Highlighting Branding & Marketing

People are often confused about the difference between branding and marketing. They don’t really know what each is and which one to focus on to grow their business.

The answer is actually both. Branding and marketing each have their own definition and place in building a business, but one can’t work well without the other.

To put it briefly, branding is who you are—and marketing is how you build awareness.

Branding is defined as what people are saying about your business. Marketing is the term used to describe anything that connects your audience with your offering (product/service).

Think of it like this, marketing is like sending out an invitation to a party you are hosting. The invitation is important. It’s got to look good and it has to entice the reader to come. If people show up to your party your invitation is considered a success. Branding is the experience people have when they get to the party. The invitation must match the experience. Your marketing must match your brand and bring it all together.

When developing brand and marketing strategies, remember it’s not one or the other, but how you can use both to work together. One cannot work without the other. Each needs to be developed in a focused way while being connected to the other.