MOJO # 55: Is branding that important a small business owner?

Does branding really do anything for you a small business owner?

Shouldn't you focus on marketing and sales?

You know, the thing we all know gets you real results like calls booked, clients, etc.?

I heard this perspective a couple of times.

Interestingly, this seems to always come from people who are actively building their personal brands.

And you know what's funny?


It seems like only a few years ago,  people in sales questioned whether marketing had any effect on a business.

"Marketing doesn't do anything. We're the ones closing the sale."

Until they realized the quality of their sales calls and the size of the transaction changed dramatically with better marketing.

You could be cold-calling strangers and getting ignored or yelled at.

Or you could be on a call with someone who knows, likes, and trusts you. Someone who chose to make time and talk to you.

Easy choice, right?

But nowadays people in marketing are saying the same things about branding.

"It's all fluff. We marketers get you results."

When in reality, marketing is part of branding.

In fact, all marketing communications, from advertising and marketing to sales and PR — are all informed by your branding.

Saying that 'marketing is more important than branding' is like saying "sales are more important than marketing'. It's not an either-or choice. They all work together.

In the same way that advertising got more crowded and expensive, and sales more competitive, marketing alone will give you a broken engine of constant struggle.

If you don't want your marketing and sales to be a constant struggle, you need a brand.

If you want to be who you are and do what you love while at it, you need a brand of full self-expression.