Building your brand into a brand leader isn't easy. There are 2 areas that can really help you grow your brand, passion and consistency. Passion is incredibly important. You have to understand that even if you are a start up or a one-man operation, or are well on your way, you are still a brand. You have to care passionately about the way your brand is nurtured, developed and presented to your target audience. Everything that leaves your building, every impression that your staff and your company make, is lasting. Take advantage of this opportunity to get your customers and potential customers to remember you in the way that you want them too!
Passion is something that you have to feel deep down inside; you have to be driven by the belief that your brand should be the #1 in its category. I can't give you the passion, but I will ask you to think about this! For example, one of the greatest investors of all time is Warren Buffet. Mr. Buffet invests only in brands, or products that he really understands. He once wrote in one of his annual reports "A brand is like a moat around your business". This point is significant! A brand can protect you against competitive attacks, it can protect you from market fluctuations, it can protect you from having to get into a price war, and it can protect your premium price positioning. When all things are equal, consumers will usually buy the brand leader!
Consistency is probably the easiest part of the marketing communications to control, but frankly most companies fail in this area. What you should do is ensure that everything that comes out of your company looks like it should. Every piece of communication should be part of a "look" that you have agreed on. I really do not care what it is; it should always look like it's part of a family, part of an ongoing series of communications. There should be no difference. If it's a letter, they should all look the same. No different typefaces, different margins etc. This is an area that should not be a request in your company; it should be a mandate.
To measure how strong your brand is copy and paste: (http://brandidentityguru.com/bightml/brandmasterpiece.html). Then click "Take the brand strength test". This is a short survey that measures the strength of any company's brand. It's a great tool to see where you are today.
Scott White is President of Brand Identity Guru (http://www.brandidentityguru.com), a leading brand consulting and market research firm located in Easton, Massachusetts, USA, near Boston.
Brand Identity Guru specializes in creating corporate and product brands that increase sales, market share, customer loyalty, and brand valuation. Over the course of his 15-year branding career, Scott White has worked in a wide variety of industries: high-tech, manufacturing, computer hardware and software, telecommunications, banking, restaurants, fashion, healthcare, Internet, retail, and service businesses, as well as numerous non-profit organizations.
Brand Identity Guru clients include: Sun Life Financial, Coca Cola, HP, Sun, Nordstrom, American Federal Mortgage, Simon (America's largest shopping mall manager) and many others, including numerous emerging growth companies.
Scott White is a very enthusiastic speaker and has the gift of being able to explain the principles of branding in a compelling and entertaining manner so that people at all levels can understand.
The absolute foundation of your small business is your image.... Read More
It is important to distinguish between corporate identity, brand identity,... Read More
You can have first-rate products and services, but if you... Read More
In this article i will explain how you can make... Read More
As many people know Industry Trade Journals in America have... Read More
How do automotive detailing companies start? What makes them work... Read More
The marketing director for one of my longtime clients used... Read More
Americans have always liked their coffee hot. But then Starbucks... Read More
Ask your self this question, In which business are we... Read More
In the book, The Blond Knight of Germany, American authors... Read More
You'd have to labor to shield yourself from the power... Read More
Branding is a one hot topic, although it is wildly... Read More
The right logo, with the right characteristics, will boost your... Read More
Branding your comapny should be the first thing a company... Read More
Branding Services is a tactic that marketing executives and managers... Read More
Q: How important is the name of a business? Should... Read More
Your brand is the culmination of everything about you and... Read More
Colour is essential to building a strong brand.Many of you... Read More
Do you have the architecture in place to make sure... Read More
"Make no little plans, they have no magic to stir... Read More
Well not everyone is aware that McDonalds also owns several... Read More
Most people, when they hear the word branding, think logos... Read More
The world is not waiting for you?or your product or... Read More
Today's competitive marketplace for consulting services is no longer responsive... Read More
In this highly competitive online marketplace, it can be difficult... Read More
Discovering and owning a powerful word that reflects you and... Read More
It's the question that is on the minds of all... Read More
Gaining new clients that are excited about developing a corporate... Read More
I am sick and tired of marketing geeks touting the... Read More
What does it mean to be remarkable?Brian Scudamore, CEO and... Read More
The so called 'globalisation' has cluttered the world markets with... Read More
There are a lot of things that contribute towards the... Read More
7 Qualities Of A Strong Brand:1. Commands premium pricing while... Read More
I submit to you that Brand Name Identity in the... Read More
A successfully positioned business sometimes doesn't win a new client.... Read More
Yes, yes, we've heard it all before... loads of life... Read More
The Federal Trade Commission has an obligation to the general... Read More
Like it or not it's who you are. Your corporate... Read More
The strongest and longest lasting brands branch off of an... Read More
Do you have the architecture in place to make sure... Read More
How many times have you been at a networking function... Read More
You can have first-rate products and services, but if you... Read More
Logo, graphic, icon, logotype, typogram, logoform, image?call it what you... Read More
Wondering if a trademark is important to you as a... Read More
Visual processing is the most important way for gathering information... Read More
Franchisors often have issues when they own a brand which... Read More
That cross-trainer you're wearing -- one look at the distinctive... Read More
In the world of marketing, branding issues are always an... Read More
When you're all alone in the privacy of your home... Read More
Design is a very subjective thing, therefore, if you ask... Read More
Move over pop star "Posh Spice" Adams and English soccer... Read More
Brand equity can be defined in many different ways. I... Read More
Branding used to be a fancy business word, but it... Read More
Ask your self this question, In which business are we... Read More
Branding is an application of appropriate marketing techniques in the... Read More
When building a business as a brand it's important to... Read More
This may come as a surprise... to you, but Branding... Read More
Now that everyone has conformed to Living Your Brand on... Read More
Your corporate identity is a graphic expression of who you... Read More
Here's a little story about what not to do as... Read More
Q: How important is the name of a business? Should... Read More
Branding is one hot topic, although it is wildly misunderstood.... Read More
IntroductionGlobalisation is referred to as a set of profound material... Read More
So you've decided to go for it-you're ready to choose... Read More
The marketing director for one of my longtime clients used... Read More
Today, in many organizations around the world, branding is treated... Read More
Branding |