Position Brand Development as a Long-Term Investment, Not a Cost

Explain that a strong brand isn’t just a logo or colors—it’s an ecosystem of trust, recognition, and emotional connection that pays dividends over time. Use examples of businesses that succeeded due to their brand equity, even in tough times (e.g., Patagonia, Warby Parker).

​@Aggarwal -- Excellent points here! I think that too often these days, people underestimate the value of trust, as well as emotional connection. I have my own theories, but would like to hear if you agree and if so, what the causes might be for undervaluing trust and affinity. What can we do to prioritize this again among customers?

​@Aggarwal, great points! I agree that a strong brand fosters trust and recognition. However, the small brands that I work with have tighter budgets than larger companies like Patagonia or Warby Parker and every dollar counts making it challenging to see brand development as a long-term investment. That said, I believe small brands can still build loyalty through authentic connections with their customers even with limited resources. I think that by focusing on creative and cost-effective strategies they can invest in their brand in ways that suit their needs/budget!

Not a consultant or business owner.

Emphasis on the disadvantage of a company having a lower-level brand compared to similar level companies since company should be working towards profiting and growing as a goal.

Brand makes a company stand out from the list of similar level companies, attracting potential customers and retaining customers, unlocking more markets.

I believe there are low or close to no cost methods that brands can be developed, perhaps areas like quality of service or a certain uniqueness that differentiate a company from other unknown companies out there, given similar cost of engaging the service.

However, without spending over a long term, a company can only build a certain level of branding that other companies can also achieve easily with or without spending. This will thin out the company’s “advantage” and gets overtaken by others eventually, reducing potential customers and perhaps losing existing customers in the process.

Once a company begins trailing behind substantially a list of similar level companies, it may be difficult for the company to cope with limited existing and potential customers.

​@Chee Heng_SZ , agreed! What I’ve noticed while working with small brands is that they do 1 or 2 things really well and build an almost cult-like following from that. Expanding on that and showcasing it via social media, for example, is a good strategy to differentiate themselves and build sustainable long-term growth.