Branding is More Than About the Company

Today I wanted to share with you thoughts about branding that may be of help. 

Today, branding is more complex and even more important. As individuals we too have our own brand, our own marks of excellence in what we do as an employee, business professional and even in our own personal lives with family and friends. Decades ago, branding was defined as a name, slogan, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of these elements, that distinguish one company, product, or service from another; today it is much more.  

Branding is not just about getting your target market to select you over the competition. It's also about getting your prospects to see you as the sole provider of a solution to their problem or need. In its essence, branding is a problem-solver. Think about you as a brand and not just the company you work for or even your own company if you are a sole proprietor or business owner. Even in our personal lives with family, friends and associates we create a “brand awareness” of who we are and how we respond to them. If you are a parent you may understand that to your children you are their support system and problem solver guiding them through the maze of childhood to adulthood – your brand.

So, branding is not just about big corporate or business it really boils down to what is your brand, what message do you send as a brand, are you credible, do you emotionally connect at some level - some more than others - and how do you motivate others to “buy into your brand”?

A good brand will:  

• Clearly deliver a message
• Confirm the brand's credibility in the marketplace
• Emotionally connect target prospects with a product or service
• Motivate the buyer to make a purchase
• Create user loyalty

To succeed in branding, you must understand the needs and wants of your customers and prospects. You can achieve this by integrating your brand strategies throughout your personal and professional life at every point of public contact. Think of branding as a living, breathing person - YOU. Imagine this person explaining who they are, why they're valuable, and what they specifically have to offer. As other people begin to identify with you, your brand will live in the hearts and minds of customers, clients, and prospects, and they'll connect on an emotional level. Develop trust and a relationship that goes beyond just selling them something or trying to convince your teenager you are the boss and “I said so” approach. 

Your brand is the source of a promise to everyone with whom you engage. If you're billing yourself as the manufacturer of the longest-lasting light bulb, your brand has to live up to that promise.

It's important to spend time researching, defining, and building your brand. In developing a strategic marketing plan, your brand serves as a guide to understanding the purpose of your key business objectives and enables you to align the plan with those objectives. Branding doesn't just count during the time before the purchase—the brand experience must last to create customer loyalty.

You can create loyalty from consumers, prospects and even family and friends by answering these three questions:

1.  Did the product or service perform as expected?

2. Was the quality as good as promised or better?

3. Was the entire customer experience positive?

If you can get positive answers to these three questions, you've created a loyal customer. A quality brand gives people something to believe in and something to stand behind, even in your personal life. A quality brand helps employees understand the purpose of the organization they work for; friends and family see who you are in your life with them. They feel like they're a part of something significant and not just a cog in a wheel. 

How do you know if your brand is strong enough to give you the internal and external value that you need? Start by asking yourself the following:

• Does the brand relate to my target audience? Will they instantly "get it" without too much thought? 
• Does the brand share the uniqueness of what I am offering and why it's important?  
• Does the brand reflect the promise made to my target audience and hold value for my internal audience?  
• Does the brand reflect the values that I want to represent to my customers, prospects, family or friends?  

Let these questions serve as a guideline in the development of your brand. If you're not sure about the answers to the above questions, then you may want to revamp your branding efforts and take it to the next level – Your Brand.

Wishing you the best and great success in all you do. Please feel free to comment and share with others.