Branding vs. Marketing

Branding is everything your business, church or organization does.

This may sound overwhelming, but really it is not. Your brand is who you are as an organization. If you are a business it is your strengths, core values, products, building, and customer service. If you are a church it is your pastor, leadership, members, building, events, and ministries. You already have a brand, it is what you are, and you are already doing it. 

Branding is how you communicate your brand to your customers/members, your community, and the world. The key is to know what your brand is and how to communicate it consistently.

You may be asking what the difference is between marketing and branding.

Branding goes deeper than marketing. Marketing is how you communicate (posters, mailings, social media, website, etc.). Your brand is what you communicate (your voice, values, message, strengths). It tells people who you are and why you exist. It is what people think of you and how they associate with you. Your branding is delivering on what you communicate. This means living out your values, having them be a part of everything you do. It is building relationships and keeping true to your values.

Branding is about the experience people have with your organization. As a church your brand and branding touches many areas of ministry – greetings, music, website, visuals, preaching, community interaction with staff and congregation. As a business, your brand and branding touches many areas of your business – products, service, building, billing, and follow-through. This experience includes everything from before people come into your building until long after they have attended or purchased.