Skip to content

Branding vs. Marketing? How to choose what's right for expanding your business

It can be difficult to know where you should put you focus (and your money) when trying to expand your business - Branding vs Marketing. Here's a simple way to know.

David Sherry
2 min read
Branding vs. Marketing? How to choose what's right for expanding your business
In the footer of my emails I keep a section for people to ask me any question. Ask yours here.

I respond to every question I receive, and may even use it as a topic in a future newsletter to help others.

Today, a short post!

Here's a recent question from a reader:

I’m trying to scale my psychotherapy and coaching business / group practice, and I’m at a crossroads with what to do and how to move forward. I don’t know what kind of professional to work with. I’m split between seeking a Branding Consultant and Marketing Consultant. I know I need to rebrand but I also need to clarify my value proposition and market messaging. Is there someone who does both? Or is it best to work with people who stay in their lane and are really good at what they’re good at?

Given that you're in a service business, much of your brand is you.

Much of the marketing will come from you.

You probably...

  • Know how important/impactful your work is.
  • Know your whole history of all of the work it's taken you to get where you are today.
  • Have ideas for how to help others in ways they might not yet understand.

The problem, and possible frustration, is the difficulty in translating that knowledge into communication that resonates with potential customers.

If you don't know how to articulate your story and value, how will your audience or customers articulate it to themselves?

This clarity is what eventually turns into branding and marketing.

Your brand is the essence, the compact view of how to position your value to your customers.

It's your story, condensed.

Your marketing is what spreads that message through unique stories that re-tell that essence in sticky ways.

I believe that what you need is for someone to help you identify that essence for yourself, first.

As that value and story becomes clear to you, it will get much easier making it clear to others.

In general, this means branding first, marketing second.

It means internal clarification first, external communication second.

The right person will help you clarify this message, compress it, and match it with what the market needs and values.

It takes skill for someone to listen, hear you, then synthesize your work into a brand that resonates as clear and true for you.

Ultimately, you need to have that internal clarification figured out first on your own, and it's a type of learning that can't be outsourced. Once you have clarity though, it's time to find someone to help you package it.

Hope that helps, and as always, let me know how I can help.

xx David

Brand BuildingMarketingBrandingReader Questions