A brief definition of what branding is and isn't

A client once said to me that he had a brilliant idea for a brand to use for his new business; it would have a certain type of logo, and xyz visuals for the letterhead and his website. As nice as the client is, it was clear to me at the time that he didn't understand what branding was or how to apply it to his business strategy. With the wrong people giving advice to this client, he could have spent a lot of time and money on design services that ultimately wouldn't deliver a return on his investment—not because there would be a fault with the design, but because the design elements aren't created to support his brand. Many people not in the know would be confused at this point, because surely creating a brand is all about how people see you through your logo, business literature, and so on.?

It is this question that is the answer to why so many people have the wrong idea of what branding is about. Branding isn't about what people see of you...