Google Dictionary proclaims that "Branding is the promotion of a particular product or company by means of advertising and distinctive design." 

IMO, the foundation of branding is a logo. USE your logo consistently in your websites, newsletters, packaging, social media sites, promotional materials, etc., And when designing those marketing tools use same and/or complementary fonts and colors from your logo. 

Careful attention to branding shows a commitment to professionalism and attention to detail. It helps your customers/consumers/employees  instantly recognize YOUR company's services, promotions and/or products in a crowd!

With all that being said, in my experience it is HARD to get clients/customers/businesses & even JoeSchmo for whom I did FREE work to buy into the importance of branding!

Oy vey.

PEOPLE. It's to make things look APPEALING & ORGANIZED & PROFESSIONAL. Who in the heckinbob doesn't want that?!? JUST DO IT. Please! We all like looking at pretty things, don't we? 

Okay. I'm calmed. Please click on an image below to see my design projects that used a logo and accompanying colors & fonts to achieve consistent, recognizable, very LOVELY branding: