When businesses fixate on branding aesthetics—logos, colour palettes, and sleek design systems—they often lose sight of a critical truth: customers don’t engage with brands because they look good; they engage because the brand offers a solution to their unmet needs or desired progress. Design alone doesn’t sell; clarity and relevance do.
Customers Focus On Progress Over Branding
Customers approach every purchase with a story in mind—a situation they’re in, a struggle they’re facing, and a better outcome they’re striving for. These moments are deeply personal and practical. They might want to save time, reduce stress, or feel more confident. Their focus is on making meaningful progress.
Now, ask yourself: does a well-designed logo address those struggles? Will a perfectly crafted colour scheme change the customer’s circumstances? Not likely. While visual elements may enhance trust and recognition once the customer is engaged, they aren’t what converts a sceptic into a buyer.
The Hidden Opportunity Cost of Over-Branding
Businesses that pour resources into brand aesthetics often do so at the expense of truly understanding their customers. They skip the critical steps of talking to customers, conducting JTBD (Jobs-to-be-Done) interviews, and testing assumptions. Instead, they rely on the hope that “if we look premium, customers will believe we’re premium.” This gamble is expensive and shortsighted.
Think about how often you’ve seen startups launch with stunning logos and websites, only to shut down months later because they miscalculated their product-market fit or couldn’t acquire customers cost-effectively. The issue wasn’t their branding—it was their lack of alignment with what their customers truly needed.
When Branding Does (And Doesn’t) Matter
Branding does have a role, but it’s not a first priority. It’s a multiplier of value, not a creator of value. Here’s the nuance:
- Early-Stage Businesses: At this stage, time and money are better spent deeply understanding customers. What are their functional, emotional, and social drivers? What progress are they trying to make? A scrappy website with clear messaging and a basic logo can do wonders if it connects with the customer’s core desires.
- Growing Businesses: Once the product or service has proven its value and there’s clear customer traction, branding becomes more important. This is where consistent design elements and brand identity help differentiate you in a competitive market.
- Established Businesses: For businesses with a strong market position, branding becomes a powerful way to deepen emotional connections, foster loyalty, and reinforce trust. However, these businesses didn’t get there by leading with aesthetics—they earned it through delivering value consistently.
The Hard Truth for Businesses Considering Branding First
Customers don’t care about you—they care about what you do for them. They won’t remember the Pantone colour of your logo. They’ll remember how your product saved them hours of frustration or helped them look good in front of their peers.
Investing in branding without validating the customer’s progress needs is like furnishing a house without laying the foundation. Sure, it may look good temporarily, but eventually, the cracks will show.
A Smarter Approach: Validate First, Brand Second
- Understand Your Customers: Start with JTBD interviews or similar frameworks to uncover what progress your customers are trying to make. What’s their situation? What’s holding them back? What does success look like to them?
- Test Your Assumptions: Before investing in branding, put your money into testing whether your solution resonates. Use lightweight tools—like plain landing pages, basic social ads, or simple MVPs—to validate demand.
- Focus on Messaging: Once you know what resonates, craft clear, benefit-oriented messaging that speaks to your customer’s needs. A well-written headline is worth more than a thousand perfectly chosen pixels.
- Iterate and Invest Wisely: As you gain traction and prove value, start building a brand identity that reinforces your promise. Let the aesthetics amplify the substance you’ve already delivered.
A Challenge to Over-Branders
If you’re thinking about hiring a brand consultant or graphic designer, pause for a moment. Have you validated that your product solves a real problem? Do you know why customers would choose you over anyone else? If the answer is no, your budget would be better spent answering those questions first. A beautifully branded business without validated value is just decoration—it won’t move the needle for your customers or your bottom line.
Branding should not lead the conversation—it should support it. Get the substance right first, and the style will follow naturally. When customers see that you genuinely understand their needs and can deliver, that’s the branding they’ll remember.