Many store owners think a brand is just a logo, color palette, or catchy tagline. But branding goes far beyond design. It’s about how your customers feel every time they interact with your store whether in person, online, or through your marketing.
Watch the full episode in YouTube
In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sue Kirchner, founder of Brand Strong Marketing. Sue has helped businesses scale for over 25 years using her proven Brand Strong Methodology. And she also hosts The Turbo Branding Show, guiding founders to grow faster by using branding as a powerful business accelerator.
Sue shares one essential truth every store owner needs to know:
“Your brand isn’t what you say it is; it’s what they say it is.”
Whether you’re intentional about it or not, your brand already exists in the minds of your customers. So why not take control and shape it into something unforgettable?
What Is Branding in Retail, Really?
Your brand identity is the sum of your customer’s experience from your displays and emails to your return policy and tone of voice. Everything contributes to how your store is perceived.
That’s why business branding in retail is more than visuals. It’s about creating an experience that builds trust, connection, and loyalty.
3 Keys to Better Branding for Retail Stores
- Know your customer better than they know themselves: The best branding starts with empathy. Who are your customers? What do they love? What frustrates them? When you know their story, you can speak directly to their heart.
- Keep talking to your customers: Your brand should evolve as your customers do. Ask questions, gather feedback, and pay attention to how they describe your store. That’s gold.
- Brand with clarity, not just design: A good-looking logo from a marketing agency won’t fix unclear messaging. Branding isn’t about looking cool, it’s about being clear, consistent, and relevant.
Avoid These Common Branding Mistakes
- Focusing too much on themselves instead of their customers. Real branding puts your customer at the center.
- Treating branding like a one-time project. In reality, great branding is ongoing. It shows up in your team, signage, social media, and every touchpoint.
Should You Use AI in Marketing?
Yes and no.
AI in marketing can help with copywriting, content ideas, and even customer insights. But as Sue reminds us: authenticity can’t be outsourced.
AI and outsourcing can support your brand but the heart of your brand? That has to come from you.
Millie Moment: Your Action Step This Week
Ask three loyal customers:
“What three words come to mind when you think of my store?”
Their answers will help you see how your brand is actually being perceived and show you where to grow from there.
You’re Building More Than a Store
Your brand is the love, passion, and purpose you pour into every interaction. It’s what makes people feel something and come back again and again.
Listen to the full episode here
Build a Brand That Connects
- Check out Sue’s social media accounts: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | Pinterest and her website.
- If you’ve got old inventory stuck on your floor, let’s clear it out, without killing your margins! Our Clearance Sale Secrets guide shows you how. Tricia used it and doubled her best day ever, on day one! Get the Clearance Sale Secrets program now!
- You’re not building just any store, you’re creating an experience, a legacy, a life that’s richer in every way. Let’s make sure the business side supports that vision. Apply for your free Gameplan Call and we’ll talk through what’s working, what’s not, and your most profitable next move.
- Want a behind-the-scenes look at how our top clients grow profit without burning out? Our free training, Beyond Busy: 3 Shifts to Reclaim Your Time and Boost Store Income, walks you through the exact Profit Roadmap we use in Profit Club, focusing on your role as CEO, CIO, and CFO to grow a business that’s both profitable and sustainable.
Don’t forget to join us in our Facebook community: Richer Retailer Facebook Group.
💚 Remember: You’re not just running a store you’re building something that matters. Your brand is the love, passion, and purpose you pour into every interaction. Keep showing up with heart. Your customers feel it and they’ll keep coming back because of it.
