How To Create A Brand That Sticks

Most people, when they hear the word branding, think logos - but in fact, branding is really much more than that. A brand involves blending the image, purpose, and focus of your business, with your core marketing message, and coming up with something which will stick in the minds of people who encounter it. As a business or an independent professional, it is who you are and what you do, packaged neatly, clearly, and memorably. A logo is only a tangible representation that works to reinforce a brand.

So - what kind of personality does your business have? Is it conservative and solid? Outgoing and fun? Or robust and strong? And, what is your business focused on doing? Whom do you want to work with? How does your business differ from the competition? And what makes it so special, after all? Do not try to name every special quality or unique selling point - you can actually build a brand on just one unique quality! Once you can answer these questions, you can begin to create your brand. The question is what you want YOUR brand to leave behind in people's heads.

Practically any business or professional can benefit from a strong brand. But branding is even more important for micro businesses and independent professionals because they face tighter competition. A well executed brand and identity can help them compete on a larger playing field, appear more professional, and stand out from the hordes of competitors.

Once you determine how you want to be remembered, your image and your message will need to communicate that. The image can simply be a consistent look used in all your correspondence, a logo that marks everything that comes from your business, and the identity you use on your web site and brochure. The message can be a tag line, your 30 second "elevator speech," and woven through the content on your web site.

A logo is only one manifestation of brand identity, used to create a memorable impression, but it is useless if you have not clearly defined your audience and the focus of your business. There are plenty of clearly branded businesses using only consistent fonts or colors in their marketing collateral. But whatever you decide chose one image to stick with through all your business communication, and make sure that image is professional. In other words, if you do not have the resources or finances right now to have a professional image developed for you, work with less, rather than using badly formatted clipart or a layout that makes you look amateurish or cheap. That approach can only hurt your business and your brand, so find the level that Works for you without a negative effect.

Once you determine what brand you want to create, and have developed an identity to accompany it, the work has just begun. You will need to vigilantly reinforce your brand every moment you are in business. Your brand needs to affect everything your business does, everything you and your employees say, and every bit of information that comes out of your office. Letterhead, invoices, proposals? these should all consistently promote your brand. In your voice mail, in your email sig, and every time someone says, "What do you do?" your brand should come out to shine. Domain names and web site content should, again, reinforce your brand. Everywhere you use your brand with consistency, you are communicating with the voice of your company.

Be aware, though, that this does not happen overnight - your brand will need to build over time. Develop a strong brand, and use it consistently, and more and more often, your brand will pop into people's minds when they have a need that you can provide.

Eileen 'Turtle' Parzek (c) 2003 All Rights Reserved

About The Author

Eileen 'Turtle' Parzek is a veteran web designer and an online marketing & communications consultant who has been working from home and virtually since 1995. You can subscribe to her free monthly newsletter called Increase Your Reach: Infuse Your Marketing with Technology at http://www.soho-it-goes.com

NOTE: You're welcome to "reprint" this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the "about the author" info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to ezine@soho-it-goes.com

---

Brand Awareness - Brand Identity

About once a month a few of us at the... Read More

My First Year In Cyber Space

My first year as a Cyberpreneur was a steeplearning-curve. I... Read More

The Very Basics of Design

Design is a very subjective thing, therefore, if you ask... Read More

No Logo? Launching A Business Without a Logo Can Sabotage You

Initial lack of customers and cash flow often causes a... Read More

Brand Equity - Brand Identity Guru

7 Qualities Of A Strong Brand:1. Commands premium pricing while... Read More

Living Your Brand on the Web - Part 1

OK, so you took the plunge and purchased your internet... Read More

Hiring the Right Graphic Designer for Your Small Business

Every small business needs it, but not many have it.... Read More

Brand Building 201: Finding The Ideal Way

The strongest and longest lasting brands branch off of an... Read More

Positioning and Branding - Brand Identity Guru

Where is your brand positioned in the marketplace? How is... Read More

Naming Names... How to Name your Business

Sometimes the best inspiration comes from hearing about the deconstruction... Read More

How to Work with Your Graphic Designer

As a graphic designer, I can tell you something right... Read More

Is Your Logo Helping or Hurting Your Business?

The quality of your logo can mean the difference between... Read More

Branding 101: Why Its Critical to Business Success and How to Do It Right

What's Your Brand?A brand is a product/company personality that helps... Read More

Santa - The Brand

Every Christmas Eve, a burglar named Santa busts into homes... Read More

12 Ways to Reduce Postage

1. Never send a letter that weighs less than 30... Read More

FTC Reviews The Franchise Rule

After more than a decade since the last attempt to... Read More

Brand Your Consulting Brilliance

Today's competitive marketplace for consulting services is no longer responsive... Read More

How To Create A Brand That Sticks

Most people, when they hear the word branding, think logos... Read More

Self-Marketing: The I Focus

Ever had one of those conversations where you wondered what... Read More

Articles: The Perfect Branding Tool

If you own a web-based business, you're probably aware of... Read More

Pressure Washing Companies and Co-Branding

Pressure washing companies often miss what we call 'super niche'... Read More

Branding: Bring Back the Jingle!

Did you grow up in the '70s and '80s? If... Read More

Trademark Issues in the Mobil Auto Business

There have always been trademark issues and lawsuits in the... Read More

The MOST Expensive Mistake You Can Make

Most people who own a small business have a huge... Read More

Build Brand Identity Through Product Branding

Building a product into a brand leader is not easy,... Read More