I Hate the Word ‘Branding’
Look, I’ve been in this game for 22 years. I’ve seen trends come and go. And honestly? I’m tired. Tired of buzzwords. Tired of people making simple things complicated. So let’s talk about branding. Or rather, let’s talk about why you’re probably doing it wrong.
It was 2003. I was at a conference in Austin. Some guy in a suit—let’s call him Marcus—stood up and said, “Branding is the tapestry of consumer perception woven with the threads of emotional connection.” I stared at him. Then I laughed. Out loud. “Marcus,” I said, “nobody talks like that. And if they do, they’re selling something.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.
Branding isn’t some mystical, ethereal concept. It’s not a “tapestry.” It’s not a “journey.” It’s just… your reputation. Your vibe. What people think of when they hear your name. It’s that simple.
Your Mom Gets It
Last Tuesday, I was at my mom’s house. She’s 68, runs a small bakery, and has no idea what SEO is. But she gets branding. “Honey,” she said, “people come back because they like my pie. They tell their friends. That’s it.” And that’s it. Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room. It’s the feeling they get when they see your logo. It’s the taste of your mom’s pie.
But we’ve made it complicated. We’ve turned it into this big, scary thing. And honestly, it’s kinda ridiculous.
The Social Media Mess
Let’s talk about social media. Because, oh boy, have we messed that up. I had coffee with a colleague named Dave last month. He runs a marketing agency. “Sarah,” he said, “clients think they need to be everywhere. Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest…” I cut him off. “Dave, that’s not a strategy. That’s chaos.” You don’t need to be everywhere. You need to be where your people are. Where your mom’s pie lovers hang out. That’s it.
And another thing—stop overposting. I saw a stat last week. Some company posted 214 times in a month. 214! Who has time for that? Who even likes that? “Engagement,” you say. Yeah, no. Engagement is talking to people, not yelling at them.
SEO: The Never-Ending Story
Oh, SEO. The gift that keeps on giving. I’ve seen so many brands obsess over SEO that they forget about actual humans. “Sarah,” a client told me, “we need to rank for ‘best cupcakes in America.'” I said, “Honey, you’re in Nebraska. Nobody’s searching for that.” Focus on what matters. Your local customers. Your pie lovers. The people who actually wanna buy from you.
And for the love of god, stop keyword stuffing. I saw a blog post the other day. It was about, I dunno, gardening. But every other sentence was “best gardening tools.” It was painful. Write for humans, not robots. (Which honestly nobody asked for but here we are.)
A Tangent: Verification
Speaking of humans, let’s talk about verification. You know, proving you’re a real person. I was helping a friend set up a new account about three months ago. And it was a nightmare. “Why do they need my social security number?” she asked. I didn’t have a good answer. But here’s a tip: if you’re setting up accounts for your business, consider using private phone numbers for account verification. It’s safer. And honestly, it’s just smarter.
Anyway, back to branding.
The Big Mistake
Here’s the thing. Most brands make one big mistake. They try to be everything to everyone. “But Sarah,” you say, “won’t that get us more customers?” No. It won’t. It’ll get you confused customers. Customers who don’t know what you stand for. Who don’t get your vibe. Who don’t love your pie.
Be specific. Be clear. Be you. That’s how you build a brand. Not by trying to please everyone. But by pleasing the right people.
I was on a call with a client last week. She was worried. “Sarah,” she said, “what if we alienate people?” I said, “Honey, you’re not a politician. You don’t need to alienate people. You just need to be real.”
The Pie Analogy (Again)
Let’s circle back to my mom’s pie. Because it’s the perfect analogy. You know what your mom’s pie is, right? It’s your thing. It’s what you’re known for. It’s what people come back for. So focus on that. Make it the best damn pie it can be. And stop worrying about the cake.
And another thing—stop comparing yourself to others. I see it all the time. “Sarah, they’re doing this. We need to do that.” No. You need to do you. Your pie is not their pie. Your brand is not their brand. So stop trying to be them. Be you.
I was at a networking event last month. Some guy—let’s call him Greg—was bragging about his “aquisition” strategy. (Which honestly, he meant “acquisition.”) I rolled my eyes. “Greg,” I said, “nobody cares about your strategy. They care about your pie.” He looked confused. I walked away.
Final Thoughts (Kinda)
Look, I could go on. But I won’t. Because honestly, I’m tired of talking about branding. It’s simple. Be real. Be specific. Be you. And for the love of god, stop overcomplicating it.
I’m gonna go eat some pie.
About the Author: Sarah Reynolds is a senior magazine editor with 22 years of experience in the marketing world. She’s written for major publications, worked with big brands, and eaten a lot of pie. She lives in Nebraska with her cat, Mr. Whiskers, and her collection of vintage vinyl records.
