Brand & Identity

Branding?!?!

"Branding" has become a buzz word over the past ten years. You will find thousands of books and articles written about the various "Corporate Brands". If you are like most small business owners, you simply don't have time to wade through and sort through it all. So, If you don't want to be a branding expert, is it even something you need to worry about?

Absolutely!!

Let's answer a few of the most common questions business owners ask about branding.

1. What is Branding?
Simply put, your business is your brand.
Your brand includes all of the elements that make up your business. It begins with your product or service, and includes your logo, your store, your company vehicles, your receptionist answering the phone, your policies, your customer service, your advertising, your website your partners . . . your entire company!

2. I have a logo, isn't that my brand?
Your logo is a recognizable element of your brand. Because of this, people often use logo and brand interchangeably. Your logo helps your customers recognize you and remember your products and services. Your logo is simply a graphic representation of all of the parts of your brand. It is important, critical even, but it isn't your brand.

3. Does branding require a huge marketing budget?
While money is a definite advantage, there are creative ways to brand your business without a huge budget.

4. How do I get people talking about my brand?
There are as many answers to this question as there are businesses. Again, it takes creativity and a little work, but there are thousands of ways to do it. The best way? Have a great product and outstanding service. If your product isn't better than your competitor's, or you don't offer a service or experience that is better in some way, you will always struggle to get people talking about your brand regardless of how much money you spend.

5. What are the most important things to remember about my brand?
Always remember you are constantly building our brand, whether you do it consciously or not. Everything you do in your company, from who you hire, how you price your products, the cleanliness of your store, the service you provide and on and on and on are all business and branding decisions.

Back to the beginning

Consider where we started, is branding something you should worry about? Again, the answer is "absolutely"! It doesn't require a stack of books or attending branding workshops. Rather, it takes a little creativity, thought and consistency over time.

By thinking about your business decisions as branding decisions, you take a more active approach to your brand. That helps you attract new customers and stand out from your competition - which ultimately means finding business success.