Why brand marketing is important for your business even though you only want sales

The appeal of performance marketing

We get it. Performance marketing sounds amazing. Quick results, easy tracking, low upfront costs - who wouldn't be tempted? Digital marketing agencies are quick to promise instant leads and conversions, but brand marketing takes time.

But here's the thing: while those quick wins might seem appealing, chasing them can actually sabotage your long-term sales goals. Why? Because it often comes at the expense of building a strong brand. You end up focusing on short-term tactics that bring in low-quality leads instead of creating a brand that attracts real customers who know what to expect from you and are a good fit. This constant chase for immediate results can drain your budget and leave you with nothing to show in the long run.

Instead of always chasing the next quick fix, shift your focus to building a brand that resonates with your target audience. A strong brand builds trust, recognition, and loyalty, making it much easier to attract and retain customers over time. It's about playing the long game and creating a sustainable foundation for growth rather than constantly scrambling for short-term wins.

"Cheap" marketing that costs you a fortune

Ever heard the saying “penny wise, pound foolish”? That’s what happens when you focus on cheap marketing tactics without considering the bigger picture. Sure, you might be able to run a Facebook ad for a few bucks a day, but how many of those clicks are actually turning into paying customers?

Here’s a concept to wrap your head around: cost-per-contact. It’s a simple calculation: how much does it cost you to reach one potential customer? When you look at it this way, you might be surprised to find that seemingly “cheap” digital marketing can actually be more expensive than traditional methods like print ads or billboards.

Let’s say you spend $100 on a Facebook ad campaign and get 1,000 impressions (people who saw your ad). That’s a cost-per-contact of $0.10. Not bad, right? But what if only 10 of those people actually clicked on your ad? Now, your cost-per-click is $10. And if only one of those clicks converted into a customer, your cost-per-acquisition is a whopping $100. Suddenly, that “cheap” Facebook ad doesn’t seem so cheap anymore.

The problem with performance ads is that they focus on the “expense” part of the purchase funnel, the bottom part, where potential customers have already started searching for solutions and often already know what they want. The higher up you move up the funnel, the cheaper and uncluttered, the cost per contact gets.

Building your brand: The real marketing secret weapon

Forget about chasing leads. The real key to long-term success is building a brand that people know and trust and remember when they’re ready to buy.. Building brand awareness in the minds of potential customers is far more effective in helping you build your long-term business pipeline. It means focusing on the 95% of the potential customer base not currently in the market, as per the 95-5 rule from LinkedIn’s B2B institute.

Now, you might be thinking, “But I’m not a large company. I don’t have millions to spend on marketing like those big brands.” And you’re right, you don’t. But that doesn’t mean you can’t build a brand. There are ways to do it on a budget.

Here are a few tips:

• Create a consistent visual identity: Your logo, colours, fonts, and overall aesthetic should all work together to create a cohesive brand image.
  
• Develop a unique value proposition: What makes your business different from the competition? What unique benefits do you offer your customers?
  
• Craft compelling messaging: Your brand message should resonate with your target audience and clearly communicate what you stand for.
  
• Be authentic: Don’t try to be something you’re not. Let your personality shine through in your marketing.
  
• Engage with your customers: Use as many marketing platforms as you can to communicate your message consistently and continuously to your target.

Remember, your brand is more than just a logo or a slogan. It’s the overall experience you create for your customers. And when you invest in building a strong brand, you’re investing in the long-term success of your business.

Use sales interactions for short-term sales

With the rise of online marketing, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype of digital marketing and forget about the power of human connection. People still buy from people they know, like, and trust. And the best way to build that trust is through personal interactions. Whether it’s cold calling, networking, attending industry events, or simply having a conversation with a potential customer, human sales efforts are essential to deliver new work.

Instead of overinvesting in performance marketing, our advice is to rely more on a combination of brand marketing and sales activities - direct, human-to-human interaction. This is especially true in emerging markets like South Africa, where trust and relationships are even more important. People want to do business with companies they feel connected to, companies that understand their needs and challenges. And that’s where human sales come in.

Case study: How TriFour ditched the hype and focused on brand

TriFour Health, a leading provider of hospital automation and health information and communication technology systems, decided to break away from the common practice of chasing short-lived marketing trends. Instead, they concentrated on developing a strong brand identity that truly resonated with healthcare professionals and administrators. TriFour established itself as a trusted name in the African healthcare industry by emphasising its dedication to innovation, reliability, and enhancing patient care through advanced technology.

Forget about chasing leads. The real key to long-term success is building a brand that people know and trust.

Trifour’s deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by African healthcare facilities allowed them to offer customised software solutions that directly addressed specific pain points. This human-centric approach created trust and collaboration, resulting in increased brand awareness and a stronger reputation.

They partnered with Firejuice to invest in a brand modernisation that involved a brand refresh, a new website, and a social media strategy focused on communicating their overall value proposition. They also refined their messaging and tone of voice to better resonate with their target audience and engaged employees in internal branding initiatives to ensure everyone embodied the brand’s values. To further strengthen relationships, they complemented these branding efforts with on-the-ground sales efforts, engaging directly with potential customers to build relationships and demonstrate the value TriFour could bring to their organisations.

Work with Firejuice to develop an integrated marketing strategy

The marketing landscape is constantly changing, but the fundamentals of marketing success remain the same. Focus on building a strong brand that resonates with your customers, invest in human connections, and don’t get distracted by the latest marketing fads.

Remember, you don’t need a million-dollar budget or a fancy marketing agency to succeed. You just need to be authentic, consistent and focused on delivering value to your customers. So ditch the hype, keep it real, and watch your business grow.

Take a look at the packages we offer, and let’s see how we can work together to build your brand.