7 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD BRAND BEFORE MARKETING (ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A NIGERIAN BUSINESS OWNER)

-

 

7 Reasons Why You Should Brand Before Marketing (Especially if You’re a Nigerian Business Owner)





Let’s start with a story.

Chinedu just launched his fashion business, “Swag Empire.” He printed flyers, ran Facebook ads, even paid DJ Big Mouth to shout him out during a weekend street carnival. For two weeks, Chinedu was everywhere. But then… crickets. People saw him, liked his ad, but nobody remembered his brand. Why?

No brand, just noise.

As a Nigerian entrepreneur navigating an already crowded marketplace, branding is not a luxury, it’s strategy and survival. Before you throw your money into marketing campaigns, let’s talk about why your business needs a brand identity first.

Here are 7 reasons you should brand before you market, and yes, I'll keep it real.

1. Branding Defines Who You Are: Marketing Only Shouts It

Imagine marketing without branding like trying to toast someone at a wedding without first introducing yourself to become memorable.
You: “I love you!”
Them: “Wait… who are you again?”

Branding is your business personality. It tells your audience who you are, what you stand for, and why they should care. Before you run a Facebook ad, your branding should have answered questions like:

  • Are we luxury or budget-friendly?

  • Are we playful or formal?

  • What colors, tone, and message reflect us?

Without branding, you’re just a voice in the crowd, loud, but easily forgotten.

2. Branding Builds Trust Before You Ask for Money

You don’t just meet someone and say, “Oya buy from me now now!” (Except you’re selling pure water in traffic.)

Branding helps build credibility and trust over time. People don’t buy because you showed up once. They buy when they feel like they know you. Your logo, messaging, and consistent vibe (online and offline) build that familiarity.

Think of brands like GTBank or Dano Milk, they didn’t just sell; they became part of your life.

3. Branding Saves You Money on Useless Marketing

True story: I had a client who ran three Instagram ads for her skincare line, spending ₦120,000. With all the ad on both Instagram and Facebook, she got just 1 sale.

Why? Her product photos were inconsistent, her logo looked like Microsoft Paint work, and her tone of voice was jumping from “Hey babe” to “Dear Esteemed Customer”.

When your branding is unclear, your marketing becomes trial-and-error (mostly error).

Branding sets direction, so your marketing becomes targeted, not desperate.

4. People Buy Feelings, Not Just Products

Why do people queue for Chicken Republic’s "Refuel" package when they can fry rice at home?
Because of the emotion and experience tied to the brand.

When you brand right, you don’t sell soap, you sell confidence. You don’t sell shoes, you sell swagger. That emotional hook gives your marketing power.

5. Branding Makes You Memorable (Not Just Noisy)

If your business was a person, would people recognize it from afar?

Without branding, you’re just another person in Oshodi shouting, “We dey sell everything!” But with strong branding, people will say:

“Ah! That’s the guy that sells classy native wear with that red and gold logo, very polite and responsive.”

Branding makes people remember you, and marketing becomes easier when people know what to associate you with.

6. Branding Creates Loyal Fans, Not Just Customers

Marketing may get you your first sale, but branding gets you the fifth, tenth, and hundredth.

Nigerians are loyal o! We love to stick to one amala joint, one tailor (even if he disappoints us), and one pepper seller. Why? Because of the relationship and consistency.

Good branding creates community and connection. If people feel something when they think of your business, they’ll stick around, even when others are cheaper.

7. Branding Attracts the Right Customers

Marketing without branding is like using a fishing net in the middle of traffic, you’ll catch confusion.

Your branding speaks directly to your ideal customer. Whether you’re selling to high-end Lagos mummies or hustling students in Enugu, your branding sets the vibe, and that vibe attracts your tribe.

Without it, you’ll waste money chasing people who were never meant for your business in the first place.

Final Word: Build the House Before You Invite Guests

Marketing is the invitation; branding is the house. Don’t invite the whole of LinkedIn and Instagram to your business party only for them to find empty walls, confusing décor, and scattered identity.

Take the time to build your brand:

  • Define your mission and values

  • Choose consistent colors, tone, and style

  • Design a strong logo and identity system

  • Understand your target audience deeply

  • Craft your unique brand voice

Then… market with confidence.

Let people feel you before they even pay you.

Need help branding before marketing?

At Kender Brand, we help entrepreneurs like you build unforgettable brands that turn heads and open wallets. Let’s help you lay the right foundation before you launch your next campaign.

📩 Book a Free Brand Consultation
📧 Email: kenderbrand@gmail.com


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The War Within

-
Image
The brown rusty leaves rolled over her legs as she sat helpless on the grass. The park was sparsely populated which made it very easy to stay unnoticed. Lifting her head, struggling to see through the heavy clog of tears welling up in her eyes. The day was getting dark, darkness has become her place of solace. She kept a steady gaze at the kids running freely, playing catch while she battled with the decision of either staying back or going home. Home? That house didn’t feel like home and it hasn’t felt like home in a long while. The mind drifted to when she was a child with little or nothing contending for space or attention in her head except for love and the ‘’can do spirit’’, which spurred her to fly without wings and run without shoes to distances that were unimaginable. She lived as free as the wind and that was the bliss of childhood which she fought to get rid of and step into adult shoes. Since stepping into those overly talked about shoes, its been filled with ...
Read more

THE BURIAL AND BIRTH OF MY LOVE

-
Image
Sprawled in disdain and needing him more than I ever thought I would. Anxious of my next move, feeling disoriented on how my heart felt both love and pain at the same damn time. Love because his soul reached out to mine in inexpressible ways that may seem mundane to some who hear of it and well, pain because he left me without saying a word. Leaving me wanting him every tick of the second hand of the clock. How can something that has been so insanely amazing turn into a night mare in split seconds. How can something I've longed for so long slip by, leaving me in heartbeats that conformed to my non-rhythmic thoughts. Lets take it back to that rainy cold evening. 6:47pm, the day was barely dark enough for one to go to bed and its been raining all day. Chances of going home to my lonely couch and binging on ''Games people play'' was very slim. I strutted to the bar close to the office feeling very cold. Not physically cold, but emotionally cold. Cold depicts...
Read more

WEED OUT PRETENDERS FROM CONTENDERS.

-
Image
How lovely when you hear the sound of his car coming into the compound every morning to take you to work. He waits for you to finish dressing up and he gladly opens the car door for his ''Queen'' to enter.  He helps you out in any way he can. He keeps the calling game on point and you don't need to worry about any heavy lifting, cause he gat your back. He is that perfect gentle man you always prayed and fantasized about.  Months or let's say weeks into this sweet romantic relationship you are seen hanging out with your female friends you abandoned when he was always there. Drinking your liquor to stupor and swearing the hell out of guys cause of a shattered emotion (Not heart). The purpose of this article (Maybe not article, but call it anything that comes to your mind) is to save you from such misery and heart break. To help you recognize the contenders in your life and weed  out the pretenders. The contenders for the purpose of this article...
Read more