Branding - It's not just for cows!

Cows Anymore

14 Oct

The market is flooded with just about every kind of competitor.  How do you get noticed in this flood?  Being consistently interesting and memorable will get you recognized quicker.  Interest and memorability should be built into your brand image.

There’s a lot of buzz in marketing communications about branding these days, but just what IS a brand, anyway?  It’s the sum of all the associations your prospects and customers have about your product or service or company.  Is it touchy-feely?  Yes.  Is it hard to control?  Yes.

Why should you care?  Because establishing a strong brand identity can be a shortcut into the hearts and minds of prospective buyers.  Being distinctive, recognizable, and memorable separates you from the competition.

Think. 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, web site, literature design reflect the image you want to present? Is your company’s personality presented consistently in all forms of communication, including your social media presence?

There are four key steps in brand management:

1) Positioning – identify your unique benefits and desired 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.  Keep working at it!