Defining Your Brand
By Danny Austin
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Report this articleDefining
your brand is like a journey of business self-discovery. It can be difficult,
time-consuming and uncomfortable. It requires, at the very least, that you
answer the questions below:
time-consuming and uncomfortable. It requires, at the very least, that you
answer the questions below:
- What is your company's
mission?
- What are the benefits and
features of your products or services?
- What do your customers and
prospects already think of your company?
- What qualities do you want
them to associate with your company?
Do your research. Learn the needs,
habits and desires of your current and prospective customers. And don't rely on
what you think they think. Know what they think.
Because defining your brand and
developing a brand strategy can be complex, consider leveraging the expertise of
a nonprofit small-business advisory group.
Once you've defined your brand, how
do you get the word out? Here are a few simple, time-tested tips:
Get a great logo. Place it everywhere.
Write down your brand messaging. What are the key messages
you want to communicate about your brand? Every employee should be aware of your
brand attributes.
Integrate your brand. Branding extends to every aspect of
your business--how you answer your phones, what you or your salespeople wear on
sales calls, your e-mail signature, everything.
Create a "voice" for your company that reflects
your brand. This voice should be applied to all written communication and
incorporated in the visual imagery of all materials, online and off. Is your
brand friendly? Be conversational. Is it ritzy? Be more formal. You get the
gist.
Develop a tagline. Write a memorable, meaningful and concise
statement that captures the essence of your brand.
Design templates and create brand standards for your
marketing materials. Use the same color scheme, logo placement, look and feel
throughout. You don't need to be fancy, just consistent.
Be true to your brand. Customers won't return to you--or
refer you to someone else--if you don't deliver on your brand promise.
Be consistent. I placed this point last only because it
involves all of the above and is the most important tip I can give you. If you
can't do this, your attempts at establishing a brand will fail
habits and desires of your current and prospective customers. And don't rely on
what you think they think. Know what they think.
Because defining your brand and
developing a brand strategy can be complex, consider leveraging the expertise of
a nonprofit small-business advisory group.
Once you've defined your brand, how
do you get the word out? Here are a few simple, time-tested tips:
Get a great logo. Place it everywhere.
Write down your brand messaging. What are the key messages
you want to communicate about your brand? Every employee should be aware of your
brand attributes.
Integrate your brand. Branding extends to every aspect of
your business--how you answer your phones, what you or your salespeople wear on
sales calls, your e-mail signature, everything.
Create a "voice" for your company that reflects
your brand. This voice should be applied to all written communication and
incorporated in the visual imagery of all materials, online and off. Is your
brand friendly? Be conversational. Is it ritzy? Be more formal. You get the
gist.
Develop a tagline. Write a memorable, meaningful and concise
statement that captures the essence of your brand.
Design templates and create brand standards for your
marketing materials. Use the same color scheme, logo placement, look and feel
throughout. You don't need to be fancy, just consistent.
Be true to your brand. Customers won't return to you--or
refer you to someone else--if you don't deliver on your brand promise.
Be consistent. I placed this point last only because it
involves all of the above and is the most important tip I can give you. If you
can't do this, your attempts at establishing a brand will fail
About the author:
If you want to learn some Power Principles of Maximizing Your Business Success for FREE, subscribe to my FREE Newsletter by visiting http://www.ministryofbiz.com/eproducts.html
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