The Difference Between Local Brands and Local Businesses

What do you picture when you hear the word "brand"? If it's a logo, tagline, or color palette, this post is for you.

Sure, your brand's aesthetic is important. But branding isn't just about shiny visuals.

A local business without a strong, memorable brand simply peddles products or services. It lacks warmth and emotional resonance. Its primary goal is increasing revenue — not connecting with customers on a deeper level.

A local brand is the polar opposite. A brand is packed with personality that shines through a unique, strong voice. It's warm and friendly. It's courteous and trustworthy.

Local business owners struggling to generate and retain customers should re-evaluate their branding (or lack thereof).

But branding is marketing's job. Right?

Wrong.

Any company that believes branding is exclusive to marketing is setting themselves up failure at worst and falling short of their goals at best.

To outshine the competition, local businesses must define their brand values and incorporate them into every element of their business.

Let's take a look at why branding matters and what successful local brands do differently.

The difference between a brand and a business — and why it matters

The best local brands don't just deliver top-quality products and services. They embody a robust brand manifesto that includes a commitment to values and a well-defined purpose and proposition.

The right brand values depend on the industry and target customer. To illustrate, let's look at home services, one of our own target industries.

A local home service brand bears a lot of responsibility. Not only does it have to get customers through the door, but it also has to keep them coming back.

Now let's consider the target customer for a local home service brand. They're homeowners who work full-time and have families of their own. They need their systems repaired quickly. They know the importance of regular maintenance because they take pride in their home.

When they book a home service appointment, they expect their technician to be friendly, attentive, and professional. They expect that technician to respect their personal space.

Every home service company that appears on a "contractor near me" Google search offers the same services. But, to quote our CEO, "Product- and service-based differentiation is dead."

That's why homeowners won't let just any contractor walk through their front door. They'll read reviews from other local homeowners. They'll ask friends and family members for recommendations. They'll scour the company's website and social media profiles.

Outstanding branding in action

Two of our home service clients — George Brazil Plumbing & Electrical in Phoenix, AZ and Golden West Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning in Denver, CO — have established themselves as local brands.

George Brazil stays top-of-mind by cultivating real connections akin to partnerships or even friendships. One year, for Valentine's Day, they partnered with a local chocolate company and gifted a voucher to their customers. George Brazil's customer service reps call customers who engage with their emails to chat, deliver a personalized thank-you, and discuss their needs. Business, quite literally, comes naturally to them.

That's what goes on behind the scenes of a memorable logo and theme tune. Shawne Cook, Director of Marketing at George Brazil, told us that locals sing the company's catchy theme tune when they see her out and about.

On the other hand, Golden West takes great pride in educating their customers. Their technicians welcome homeowners to watch and ask questions while they work. They believe homeowners should understand how their systems work and recognize maintenance issues.

This might seem counterintuitive to generating repeat business. After all, repairs, installations, and replacements are a plumbing and HVAC company's bread and butter. But who is that customer going to call when they notice an issue in their HVAC system that their technician educated them about? Golden West. Why? Because they not only demonstrated their expertise, but they also established trust.

The difference between a brand and a business: wrapping up

George Brazil and Golden West have slightly different approaches to branding. But they share a common goal: winning customers by genuinely appreciating them and taking time to understand their needs.

That commitment to truly caring for your customers rather than simply trying to book a job is what separates a brand from a business.

It's easy to say you care about your customers. But as the old saying goes, actions speak louder than words.

Do you have to send vouchers or call your customers to build a brand? Not necessarily. The actions themselves matter a whole lot less than the understanding that drives those actions. When you know your target customer intimately, you're better able to not only serve them, but also show your appreciation for them.

That's what keeps customers coming back. It's what makes customers recommend a business to their friends and family. It's what keeps the phones ringing, the trucks moving, and the revenue growing.

Ready to discover how building a solid brand can take your business to the next level? Unlock more secrets of building a brand from George Brazil, a $40M/yr home service company that generates 70% of its revenue from returning customers.