When I talk to small business owners about branding, I usually see the same expression—somewhere between curious, overwhelmed, and “wait… isn’t that just a logo?”
And honestly, I get it. “Branding” has turned into one of those big umbrella words that everyone uses, but hardly anyone explains in a way that actually sticks.
Branding Begins With How We Experience People
Because I rely so much on intuition—especially when it comes to understanding people—I like to explain branding the way my brain naturally sees it: through the way we experience other human beings.
If your business were a person, branding is everything that makes them them.
Not just their outfit.
Not just their hairstyle.
Not just their voice.
But their energy.
Their personality.
The way they shake your hand.
And the way you feel after spending time with them.
Branding is the entire experience wrapped into one identity.
Branding Happens Long Before the Logo
Most people assume it starts with a logo, but it begins long before that. Think about meeting someone for the first time. Within seconds, you feel something—maybe the vibe is off, or maybe you’re instantly drawn to them. Businesses work the same way. You walk in, interact once, and immediately think either, “Wow, I loved that,” or “Nope… not for me.”
That’s branding communicating with you—intentionally or not—and you make your decision right there.
And that experience doesn’t start the moment you walk through the door. It starts the moment you see their website, scroll past their social posts, or hear their name. Every tiny interaction is part of the brand speaking to you.
Branding Is an Ongoing Journey
Once you understand branding as an experience—not just colors and graphics—it becomes clear that building the right brand is its own journey. It means understanding your audience, learning what they connect with, and deciding how your business should “show up” in a way that makes sense for them and feels authentic for you.
This part is my favorite when I meet a new client. I listen not just to what they say, but to what they mean. I watch what they light up about and pay attention to what feels important to them. Slowly, a picture forms in my mind of who their business really is. And once that identity becomes clear, everything else starts falling into place.
Visuals Matter—But They’re Not the Whole Story
The visuals absolutely matter—your logo, colors, and typography are the outfit your business wears.
But without the personality behind them, they’re just clothes on a mannequin. Branding is what brings them to life.
Branding Lives in the Details
What surprises most small business owners is how much of their brand lives in the everyday details: how quickly they respond to messages, the tone they use when answering the phone, how they show up online, and the experience someone has from the first “hello” to the final invoice. A brand is alive. It breathes. It evolves. And it makes people feel something—something real—and that feeling becomes the reason they choose you.
Branding vs. Marketing: They’re Not the Same
Marketing, on the other hand, is how your business introduces itself to the world… but branding determines whether people connect with you, remember you, and come back.
Small Businesses Have a Branding Advantage
And the best part? You don’t need to be a giant corporation to have a strong brand.
Small businesses often create the most memorable ones because they’re personal, authentic, and built on genuine human connection.
The Heart of Branding
Branding isn’t about being fancy or dramatic. It’s about being clear, consistent, and true to who you are—so the right people can find you, trust you, and stick with you.
My Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, branding isn’t a logo, a color palette, or a clever tagline.
It’s the heartbeat of your business.
And once you understand that, everything else—your website, your marketing, your content, your messaging—starts to make a whole lot more sense.
If you want help figuring out what your brand is really saying (or what you want it to say), our door is always open at EXPMG.
Let’s make your business feel like a friend to the people who need it.
