Growing Your Brand Assets

Okay. Raise your hand if you think brand management is just for BIG companies (like Target, McDonalds or Ford.) Wow! That's a lot of hands! Well, guess what? You're all wrong.

Brand issues are important to ALL companies for the simple reason that people buy from other people. People have personalities. Branding establishes and communicates a company's personality (sometimes referred to as company image.)

Think about YOUR company. What personality or image do you want to present to customers and prospects? Should it be warm, friendly, and down-to-earth? Polished, knowledgeable, and sophisticated?

Does your company's current logo and literature design reflect the image you want to present? Is your company's personality presented consistently in all forms of communication?

Are you overwhelmed now? Let me simplify. There are four key steps in brand management:

1) Positioning - identify your company's unique benefits and image.

2) Planning - develop a road map for your brand identity programs.

3) Protection - guard the integrity of your brand.

4) Promotion - build awareness of and preference for your brand.

Brand management is an ongoing process, not a destination. Bad news: the work is never done. Good news: if you do the positioning and planning up front, protection and promotion programs flow naturally.

About The Author

Claire Cunningham, president of Clairvoyant Communications, Inc., has 20+ years' experience developing and implementing successful business-to-business marketing and communications programs. Sign up for Claire's monthly newsletter, Communique, at www.clairvoyantcommunications.com Claire can be reached at 763-479-3499 or e-mail to claire@claircomm.com.

---

3 Simple Selling Tactics

The following 3 simple selling tactics produce sales by responding... Read More

Two kinds of Advertising for a Marketing Strategy

Advertising is the lifeblood of any business. If you do... Read More

Adapting Blog Technologies To Corporate E-Newsletters

Every January, trade publications put out a list... Read More

What to Look for in Display Graphics and Trade Show Graphics

Display graphics are graphic images used for illustration or "display"... Read More

The Power of Thank You

Sometimes we loose site of the small things in life... Read More

Second Dose Of Marketing Vitamins

Organizations often get stuck in neutral when it comes to... Read More

Universal Principals That Guide Business Growth

Universal principals are those "self-evident" truths that have guided brilliant... Read More

Private Practice Marketing: 3 More Secrets I Wish I Knew When I First Started Out

Secret #4 - Get very comfortable asking for paymentOne of... Read More

Marketing With Brochures

With the explosion of the internet and online businesses many... Read More

Networking Magic

YES-- it is true that Networking is an art that... Read More

10 Powerful Marketing Tips

1. Print your best small ad on a postcard and... Read More

How to Tie a Tie and How To Kiss - What Do They Have In Common?

How to Tie a Tie and How To Kiss -... Read More

Online Advertising Versus Traditional Media Advertising

Before I compare today's online advertising with traditional media advertising... Read More

Hello, My Name Is . . . What Your Name Tag Says About You

When you attend networking functions, what kind of name tag... Read More

Effective Use of Promotional Products and Ad Specialties

1. Determine the goals of your promotional products program. Do... Read More

Insiders Secret to Selling Mailing Lists

If you've got a mailing list of at least a... Read More

Color Part 1: Accuracy

Color is one of the most difficult parts of a... Read More

The Role of Marketing for Boards of Directors

Small and emerging companies often do not put together a... Read More

Viral Marketing with a Powerful Twist

What would you do with 500, 1000 or more additional... Read More

Avoid the Duds: 10 Strategies for Selecting The Perfect Speaker

Today, more than ever, the success of meetings relies heavily... Read More

Utilizing Your Best Hidden Asset To Increase Sales

You probably already have in your possession one of the... Read More

Make Your Marketing Solve a Problem

You may be engaged in a marketing activities that are... Read More

Creating Customer Value

The purpose of business is to create and retain a... Read More

Why You Dont NEED a Marketing Plan

If you pick up a copy of the November 2003... Read More

Write Better Web Content

If you're reading this article, chances are that you, like... Read More

Are You Sabotaging Your Marketing Success?

What?!? Sabotage your own success? Who would do that? Well,... Read More

Attract More Clients by Raising Your Profile

One of the most common issues I'm asked about is... Read More

SMS for the Estate Agent - Targeted Marketing Tool, or Legal Minefield?

Imagine having at your disposal a means to immediately inform... Read More

How To Let Your Customers Search For YOU! ? Part 2

First I want to welcome you to part two of... Read More

A Jack Of All Trades Is Often The Master of None

You've heard variations of that saying your entire life. Consider:... Read More

How to Measure the Benefit Your Product or Service Offers

Measuring the benefit of your product or service means putting... Read More

First Steps to Developing a Marketing Plan

Direct Mail . . . Newspaper . . . Radio... Read More

Non-Aggressive Marketing Ideas for Enterpreneurs

Do you cringe at the thought of trying to promote... Read More