Does branding drive long term sales?

Written By Juniya Johnson

This was a major lesson I learned from two of my Master’s modules—Integrated Marketing Strategy and Digital Advertising and Analytics. And guess what? It makes total sense.

Let me share a story from our Digital Advertising class. We were analyzing a Facebook ad campaign that struggled to get any traffic or conversions. At first, we thought it was the ad copy or the visuals. But after digging deeper, we found the real problem—they were trying to sell a new product without building brand awareness first. The audience had no clue who they were or why they should care. No trust, no sales!

Think of it like going on a first date. Imagine you sit down, the other person smiles, and BOOM – they propose marriage. What would you say? Probably something like, “Whoa! We don’t even know each other yet!”

The same rule applies to marketing. If your audience doesn’t know you, they won’t buy from you. Before asking for a sale, take time to introduce your brand. Share your story, your values, and how you can help. Build that relationship first.

Here’s the right way to do it—follow the sales funnel:

1. Awareness: Introduce your brand. Use social media, blogs, and ads to let people know you exist.
2. Interest: Share helpful content that shows how your product or service solves a problem.
3. Consideration: Offer testimonials, case studies, and product demos to build trust.
4. Decision: Now, with trust established, present your offer and make it easy to buy.

Skipping these steps is like proposing on the first date—it just doesn’t work!

So, if you’re struggling to sell online, pause for a moment. Are you trying to sell too soon? Focus on building your brand first, and the sales will follow. Trust me, it works (and saves you from a lot of awkward marketing moments)!