We are bombarded with brands on a daily basis, and know from first-hand experience how deeply they can resonate with us. Brands have the power to make us feel inspired, reassured and recognised. A strong brand can win us over, even when priced above average.
Can you think of a brand you buy regularly, not because of the price, but because of the perceived quality you attach to it? This is easy for a lot of people. From this perspective, we can understand why big corporates spend millions developing and promoting their brands.
But what relevance does it have in the context of running a smaller business? Budgets don't always stretch to brand marketing strategy, and if they do, it can be hard to justify and quantify the results. Many owner-managers rely on their product/service to speak for itself and don't feel like they 'need' a brand. The fact is, they have one whether they know it or not.
Your company's brand is far more than just your logo and name. It’s the sum of every experience, impression, and interaction a customer has with your business – whether they’re browsing your website, chatting to a team member, or scrolling past one of your social posts.
And in a competitive market where customers increasingly expect better, faster and more personalised service, your brand might just be the reason someone chooses you over a competitor… or doesn’t.
So, is your brand working hard enough for your business? Let’s explore why your brand is one of your most valuable business assets — and how understanding its value can fuel business growth.
What is a brand?
A brand is the unique identity/personality that a company projects to its audience. It reflects what a company stands for, how it communicates, and the promises it makes to customers.
A brand encompasses every customer touchpoint. Brand elements like logos, colours, tone of voice, and messaging create a consistent experience across all channels, helping build recognition and trust. But brand isn’t just about how things look, it’s about how people feel when they interact with your business. A strong brand runs deeper than visual identity; it shapes the entire customer experience (CX), from the way you answer the phone to the ease of navigating your website or receiving support.
Why are brands important?
For small and medium-sized businesses, branding often gets put on the back burner. But investing in brand strategy is important for long-term success.
A strong brand is like the centre of gravity that keeps your business balanced and aligned — not just for your customers, but for your team too. Externally, it gives customers confidence in what you offer and what your company stands for. Internally, it brings your team together with shared goals and values. Everyone knows what you’re about and why it matters.
And when your brand is consistent, it creates loyal customers, and you have the flexibility to increase your prices. As a customer yourself, you know that we don't always buy the cheapest product. We choose brands because of the reassurance of quality, their alignment with our personal values, and the way they make us feel.
This kind of brand loyalty drives repeat business, increases customer lifetime value, and gives you pricing power, which, when it boils down to it, is the key to long-term success.
How your workspace can reinforce your brand
Your brand isn’t just communicated through your marketing; it’s also reflected in the space you work from. From the moment someone walks through your door, they’re forming an impression of your business. Is the space professional, welcoming, and aligned with your values? Or does it feel disconnected from what your brand promises?
The right workspace can play a powerful role in reinforcing your brand identity. It’s where customers, clients, and your own employees experience your brand in action — through the environment, the layout, the way your team interacts, and even the energy in the space. A cluttered, uninspiring office sends a very different message from a thoughtfully designed one.
At Arena Offices, we understand how important it is for businesses — large and small — to create the right impression. Our customisable office spaces give you the freedom to make your workspace your own, while our warm, professional reception teams and modern meeting rooms ensure your brand is always presented in the best possible light. Whether you’re welcoming new clients or nurturing team culture, your workspace becomes an extension of your brand — helping to build trust, consistency, and credibility at every touchpoint.
Key reasons to build a strong brand
So why is one brand successful and the next middling to invisible? The answer is that one is conceived and implemented with care and intention.
Take Innocent and PJ Smoothies (remember them?). Both were launched in the late 1990s with a similar product and price point. Innocent soared because it built a distinctive brand deeply connected to its values and resonated with customers (making healthy choices fun). It was communicated consistently across every touchpoint, and made the brand experience feel human. PJ Smoothies didn’t have the same brand clarity or emotional connection, and gradually faded from shelves.
Successful brands don’t happen by chance – they are the result of focused strategy, clear positioning, and ongoing effort to connect with customers in meaningful ways.
Here's why companies invest so heavily in branding:
Competitive advantage
As touched on earlier, a strong brand gives your business a powerful competitive advantage. It helps you stand out in crowded markets by clearly communicating what makes you different.
Customer acquisition, retention and loyalty
Consider this: research shows that it costs five to 25 times more to acquire a new customer than to retain one, and that an increase of 5% customer retention can grow profits from 25% to 95% (Source: Harvard Business Review). For any business owner, that’s a return well worth investing in.
Employee acquisition, retention and loyalty
A well-executed brand strategy also helps win the hearts and minds of employees. It defines company culture, creates a sense of community and ensures everyone is working towards the same vision. And it helps make your employees advocates for your brand - the opposite of which can be disastrous.
Pricing power
A massive 62% of UK consumers are prepared to pay a premium for their favourite brands (source: Data & Marketing Association). It's a statistic that speaks for itself!
How to measure the value of a brand
While it's relatively easy to pin a pounds and pence value on a business, measuring brand equity can be challenging because it's a largely intangible asset. This can make it difficult for business leaders to attach a clear ROI to brand investment, especially when there are more visible short-term tactics competing for attention and budget.
But just because something is harder to measure doesn’t mean it’s not incredibly valuable.
Here are some ways that companies measure the success of their brand marketing strategy:
Customer feedback
To understand the value of your brand in the eyes of your customers, it's important to ask them. One of the most widely used metrics is the Net Promoter Score (NPS). This is a simple yet powerful metric that measures customer loyalty by asking one key question: “How likely are you to recommend our business to a friend or colleague?”. It helps you understand how customers perceive your brand, highlights overall satisfaction, and identifies how many of your customers are promoters, passives, or detractors — giving you a clear snapshot of brand sentiment and loyalty.
Competitor benchmarking
To understand if your brand stands out, it's useful to see how it compares with others. Competitor benchmarking helps you measure your brand’s visibility, perception, and engagement compared to similar businesses.
For SMEs, it doesn’t need to be complex:
- Search engine presence – Check where your business ranks for key terms vs. competitors. Tools like Ubersuggest or SEMrush can help track search visibility.
- Social media engagement – Compare how often competitors post, the tone they use, and how much interaction they get.
- Reviews and ratings – Look at Google Reviews, Trustpilot, or industry sites to gauge public sentiment and identify gaps you could fill.
Employee engagement
Brand success can also be measured in terms of how motivated and aligned your employees are (i.e., employee engagement). Are staff proud to represent and recommend the business? Do they understand and communicate the company's core brand values? Successful businesses take employee engagement seriously and conduct regular surveys to gauge how successful their internal communications are.
How Arena Offices can help you present your brand in its best light
At Arena Offices, we understand that branding matters — not just for global brands, but for businesses of every size. Whether you're a growing start-up or an established organisation, your workspace should reflect who you are and what you stand for. That’s why our facilities are designed to deliver positive customer experiences to support your brand identity.
From stylish, customisable office spaces that let you bring your brand to life, to welcoming receptions that create a great first impression, every detail is considered. Our professional front-of-house teams ensure visitors are greeted warmly, while thoughtfully designed communal areas and meeting rooms provide the perfect backdrop for showcasing your values and culture.
We believe your office should work as hard for your brand as you do — helping you impress clients, build trust, and create a lasting connection from the moment someone walks through the door.
Book a tour online today at our serviced offices and give your brand the home it deserves.