There is a famous story about Google, where it is said that that tech giant took months and tonnes of research to change a shade of blue in its logo. This story is religiously passed on by marketing gurus to establish the importance of branding. Here, let’s consider the ‘science’ behind branding where a lot of thought goes into every detail, including colour choice. Did you know that different colours have different meanings? For example, light blue is considered to be a peaceful and calming colour. According to colour psychology, blue is associated with trustworthiness and reliability. Now you can understand why Larry Page and Sergie Brin were so obsessed with getting the right shade for their globally recognised logo.
The IT industry might appear to be drab on the face of it, filled with technical terms and loads of jargon, but behind this facade, the tech giants and tech companies are completely aware of their brand presence and are very particular of the image they project to people.
Microsoft, the tech giant that changed the way the world looked at computers, Facebook that created a stir by innovating the way the world networked with each other, or Linkedin that is rather particular about the professional connections that people make, are all into constant branding and make sure their company’s vision stands out in each and every public move of theirs.
The same is expected of their employees and their staff is considered to be an extension of their branding plan and strategy. The IT sector is highly vibrant with disruptions creating new brands that drive the industry forward. It’s also a sector with innumerable number of start-ups, all of whom are gung ho about appropriate placing of their brands in an overcrowded market space.
The IT industry is the future ahead due to which many players enter the market with eyes on perennial revenues. However, some shine while some wither away. And this can be directly attributed to the branding and marketing strategy they adopt. Throughout the product life cycle, it is important to take quantitative and qualitative steps to maintain brand identity, barring which different stakeholders tend to wean away or lose interest in the product in the long run.
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Let’s check out why branding is so vital to IT industry
Branding gets recognition
The primary reason for developing a branding strategy is to make sure your company gets recognised and becomes known to various stakeholders. Of this, the logo acquires great importance as this is essentially the face of the company. This is one of the reasons why every IT company, big or small must invest in bringing out a professional logo which is both powerful and easily recognisable at the same time. A logo is akin to making an impression at first glance. Printed promotional products are a means of getting this across.
Branding is the first thing customers will experience and will help them to form an opinion on what the company is all about. For example, it provides a visual clue about the products or services the company offers, intended audience and company’s values.
Branding increases business value
Branding is indispensable to generate future business. A strongly established brand can increase a business’ value and give it more leverage within the industry. Due to this, investors are more convinced to put their money in the company and this helps the IT brand to establish itself firmly in the marketplace.
Grab new customers via branding
A good brand will have no hassles drumming up referral business. Strong branding generally means there is a positive outlook towards the company amongst consumers and various stakeholders. Thanks to brand familiarity and trust associated with it, they will be willing to do more business with the company. Once a brand is well-established, word of mouth publicity will take the business operations to the next level. Let’s take the recent example of people migrating to Signal from whatsapp. After Facebook-owned whatsapp rolled out new privacy policy, people instantly migrated to Signal in hordes, much to the surprise and thrill of Signal founders.
Leads to employee pride and satisfaction
When employees work for a strongly branded company and one that truly stands for its brand value, they are bound to be extremely satisfied with their job and have a high sense of pride in the work they do. The reputation of a brand and the fact that it is held in high regard among the public makes working for the company more enjoyable and fulfilling. For example, Google takes high pride in retaining the best company to work with title year after year. To maintain goodwill among its employees, it hands out promotional merchandise, all of which fall into the branding strategy.
Increases trust in marketplace
A professional appearance and well-strategize branding helps the company build trust among various stakeholders and consumers. People will be more willing and open to do business with a company that has a groomed and professional portrayal in public space. Proper branding gives the impression of being industry experts and makes the public trust a company, its products and services and the way it handles its business.
Supports advertising
Advertising is another aspect of branding and advertising strategies are bound to directly reflect the brand and its desired portrayal. Advertising techniques such as use of promotional products from trusted companies make it easy to create a cohesive and appealing advertising strategy that plays well into a company’s branding goals.
An IT brand could be local or targeted at a global audience. Or it could be a brand looking to reinvest itself, following the initial launch. Astro strategist Hirav Shah has a well-sorted plan of action for your branding and rebranding:
For good business growth and future prospects, astro strategist Hirav Shah says it is important to have the necessary ‘luck’ in the personal chart of an individual. However, apart from that, there are a variety of factors that push forth ‘luck’ in business. The name of the business, its logo, the partner’s luck, etc, all determine the success of a business, he shares.
Hirav Shah insists that whatever hard work one puts in or whatever talents one uses to put in smart work by strategizing and implementing those strategies in terms of advertising, marketing, sales, HR, production or service… things have to move smoothly and seamlessly.
According to astro strategist Hirav Shah, that is called the ‘luck’ of the company. So, if the structure of the company or organisation is proper, it helps in utilizing your potential and growth in a productive and positive manner.
Simply ponder
How does food taste without spices?
How does one feel wearing ill-fitted shoes?
How can a footballer ace without proper field?
Similarly, in business, if the structure of the organization is great (ie, business name, great partners, correct registered and administrative address, logo, web-print-digital presence, brand name, etc), by seeking the help of an astro strategist, a business can make and execute decisions within a perfectly timed framework to maximise success.
Here are the 7 factors that astro strategist Hirav Shah considers before giving a road map for branding and rebranding
1. Name of the organisation: What’s in a name? wrote Shakespeare, saying a rose is a rose irrespective of its name. Well, when it comes to branding, it’s all in the name. Astro strategist Hirav Shah will help you name your organisation or brand or product in sync with numerological and astrological calculations. Look at brands like Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Accenture, Infosys, etc – they bring out ads or social media inputs that directly target stakeholders almost on a daily basis. They reach out to customers through various platforms, but the message is unique and consistent.
2. Correct partners: Checking the compatibility, strengths and weaknesses of all partners and administrators is crucial as one weak campaign can mean loss of valuable customers for travel sites, which operate amidst high competition and highly segmented markets.
3. Percentage of shares of all partners: Hirav Shah ensures that each partner share is correctly balanced, so there are no disputes or disagreements in the long run.
4. Registered address and administrative address: They should be astrologically compatible with the name of the organization and key people in the company.
5. Logo of the organisation: We have already seen how important the logo of an IT giant is in the case of various brands like Google, TCS or Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, Facebook, etc. Hirav Shah helps you create and finalize the right logo that reflects your values and attracts the right kind of energy.
6. Web, print and digital presence: In today’s world, where one needs to be seen and heard on various media platforms, Hirav Shah ensures that your digital, print and marketing collaterals are aligned and in harmony with your brand’s purpose and vision.
7. Brand: Last, but surely not the least, astro strategist Hirav Shah makes sure that your brand assets are auspicious for the company and have a positive impact on team morale.
