Why branding is more than a pretty logo

--> Why branding is more than a pretty logo

Your brand is so much more than that cool little swoosh logo the graphic designer developed for you
Remember the dot com boom? Every new company seemed to have some variation of a little ellipse logo and a bold font. It became very difficult to tell them apart.

This was a product of rushing to market. There was so much insanity surrounding any company who could put a ".com" at the end of their name, that companies rushed to take advantage of the investment market.

The logos were simply by products of incomplete branding. You see, your brand is more than the symbol you put on paper. Your brand is a larger, more compelling idea that is communicated in many ways.

If your company was a person, it's brand would be it's personality. Your company's personality, just like that of a person, can be a complex set of beliefs and tendencies. It's the things we do, the things we want, and the things we stand for that all make up our personality. It is no different for your brand.

Successful branding leverages those things about your company's "personality" that are unique, motivating and memorable. The brand should communicate the differences in your company and how they translate into benefits for your customers.

A well managed brand is a very powerful asset that helps to focus your company's internal thinking, aligns communication efforts, and builds customer loyalty.

When your brand is thoughtfully developed and managed across the "touch points" of your organization, it gains strength by reinforcing that personality with every piece of communication.

These communications build on one another, compounding the message and impacting your target audience.

As a small business, make sure you pay attention to your brand, not just a cool logo. It will pay off well into the future.

Happy Marketing!

Why Branding Is Vital For Your Home Business Success

--> Why Branding Is Vital For Your Home Business Success On a hot Sunday afternoon when your body fluids have been drained dry by the scorching sun, which would you rather order? Coca Cola, or Jeebejus Sweet Soda? The answer is as clear as it is universal. The more established brand would be chosen almost every time.

This is why branding is very important in building a home business. Cyberspace is fueled by information, and information travels fast. Everything on the Internet is delivered with digital speed. Competitions would sprout from out of nowhere on a daily basis. The only way to contend is by beating them to the punch when it comes to consumer recall, and this can be done through effective branding.

In building a home Internet business, much care and attention must be given to your enterprise's name. It is the means by which people would refer to it, after all. Once a name has been decided on, the next logical step would be to build on that brand and expose it to as many people as possible.

Building a brand, and consequently, building an online presence, can be as fast or as meticulously slow as you want it to be. As we've mentioned earlier, everything on cyberspace is faster, and this includes branding your home business. But you also proceed at your own pace, and in the process, giving your market the impression that you're emphasizing quality over popularity.

Here are some branding techniques you could use to help you in building a home Internet business:

* Always use your name. A lot of people are hesitant about online transactions. Giving them your real name would be taken as an invitation for their trust. Additionally, your name would give them something to remember you by.

* Article marketing can help in branding you as an expert on the subject you wrote about. And you being a representation of your enterprise, will in turn help in branding and building a home Internet business.

* Consider crafting a logo during the planning stages in building your business. Visual representations are sometimes easier to remember than written words.

* Build relationships. Relationships would help you achieve a level of credibility and reliability. Additionally, those whom you have befriended would be more than willing to give a good word about you, either in private correspondences with their own network, or publicly by giving you a testimonial for your products or services.

* Provide bonuses and excellent after-sales services. These value added attractions would make your clients feel special, and they would remember you well because of it. Consider this detail in building an online business.

* Publish your own eZine. Having a constant medium through which your thought and your business messages can be conveyed would be a fantastic vehicle in building your brand.

These are but some of the more popular ways of branding, as utilized by veteran Internet marketers. It would serve you well if you'd follow their footsteps and give a good start in building an Internet business that would be remembered for a long, long time.

What is Branding and Why Do You Want It?

--> What is Branding and Why Do You Want It? Talking about branding is like talking about leadership. There are coaches and courses which purport to "teach" leadership, but as we all sense - that's why we want so badly to learn it - leadership comes from character and inner qualities. It's an extension of beliefs and values the person holds and then acts out in their life, an integral part of their personality. You can't pick up "character" in a seminar. It comes from years of reading, work on yourself, exposure to great literature, great art and great people, and plain out experience.

Leadership isn't going to a seminar and coming back saying, "Let's do a mission statement," it's being so devoted to mission yourself others can't wait to get around you, find out what it is, and partake of it.

Leaders lead because other people want to follow them. There's no other reason. Not the paycheck, not the stick ... just that feeling when we get with someone - "Hey, I want to go where they're going. Count me in!"

Leadership isn't a surface thing, and neither is branding. It's what you stand for, your personality. It's your soul and what you're about.

Fiddling around with your logo and business card are superficial things. They make an impression on your consumer, yes, but they don't have power; they only have "veto" power. No one ever booked your services because of your business card, but someone may have vetoed you because of it. There are some terrible business cards out there, and people DO form immediate and initial impressions. I'm thinking of the therapist I know who - believe it or not - has a neon fuschia business card. This is not the person I want doing therapy on me or anyone I know.

On the other hand, I never looked at an attorney's business card - they're all the same, even the same font - and said, "This is the man I want to represent me in court."

The way you get your brand across is projecting your personality - who you ARE - in every aspect of your business. What your webpage looks like, the wording, the inclusion of quotes or not, graphics, the way you handle your customers, how well you deliver products, promises and services. Your products and your style.
We bond with businesses the same way we do with people - through their personalities.

When I think about Dave, God rest his soul in peace, and Wendy's, I think 'just a comfortable place to be.' Actually I knew Dave, our kids played soccer together, and he was just the same way in person as he was on the t.v. screen. Now THAT'S branding.

Branding means starting with your values and beliefs, projecting these into everything you do, and going forward from there.

EXAMPLE

When I went into coaching, I did so because I wanted to help people, but in my own way, according to my beliefs and values. Coaching is not therapy, but one thing that frustrates me about therapy is the tight scheduling. You can be in the middle of "And then the man put a knife against my throat..." and your session is over.

I wanted to remove this element from my coaching practice. I wanted to be known for exceptional service, commitment and connection. I wanted to be a place people could come in their warp-speed lives and know they would receive the time and attention they deserved.

How we handle "time" is an important part of our personalities. Here are some of the ways I play with time to project my brand:

-My website is loaded with information that takes a long time to read.
-My website takes a long time to load. We are not in a hurry here.
-Each of my Internet courses comes with the opportunity for unlimited email with me. Learners are free to respond, react, question and dialogue with me for the duration of the course.
-I answer each email individually.
-I don't use autoresponders anywhere in my practice.
-I don't arbitrarily limit the time of the coaching session.
-I don't require a contract. The time is open-ended
-I don't ordinarily book clients back-to-back. This isn't an assembly-line.
-I offer the Don't Die at 50 Weekly Organizational Calendar but wait til you see it. It isn't talking about "polish your shoes."
-I deliver my ebooks personally, that is by email with a note. Sure this could be an autoresponder thing, but that's not my style. If someone has the courtesy to buy something from me, they deserve the courtesy of a personal note.

Everything I produce and the way I deliver it is branded.

How about you?

BUSINESSES HAVE PERSONALITIES

Paul Temporal, author of "Advanced Brand Management," asked people to describe two competing companies' personalities "as if they were people" and here's what he got.

People defined Company A as "sophisticated, arrogant, efficient, self-centered, distant and disinterested." Company B, the competitor, they defined as "easy going, modest, helpful, caring, and approachable, and interested."

Not surprisingly, 95% of the people said they'd rather do business with Company B, and, not surprisingly, Company B was way ahead in the competition.

START WITH YOUR VALUES & YOUR BELIEFS

When you think about branding your business, sit down and think about what's important to you and what you want to project. Then make sure everything you do speaks of this. In other words, walk the walk, don't just talk the talk

If it's your intent to treat customers with respect, operationalize the term and make sure you're actually doing it. Respect isn't a concept; it's an action.

Modernizing your image (logo, collaterals) "won't effect a change in brand values," says Temporal. "The heart of the brand remains the same - what it stands for or its personality."

Consumer perceptions of quality, service and other intangibles are your brand, and what keeps them coming back for more. Are you approachable? Are you interested? Do you care? Do your actions show it? Your customers won't be fooled and they have choices.

What is Branding, and Why Do I Need It?

--> What is Branding, and Why Do I Need It?

The most valuable asset a company has is its Brand. You may laugh, but without an established brand or corporate identity you will have to work ten times harder and spend twice as much money to reach the same level of results as your competitor with a strong Brand.

A prime example is Nike. Who does not know the "swoosh" Nike logo which appears on everything from running socks to bathing suits. Nike purposely positioned their Brand in various sporting goods markets as the best. This didn't happen overnight, but by constantly reinforcing their corporate message through intensive branding campaigns people now associate the Nike Brand with quality.

However, Nike has the luxury of a multi-million dollar marketing budget. How can the new or small business owner run an effective branding campaign and still have money left in the budget for other marketing endevours? By following these guidelines, you can start establishing your Brand:

(1) Establish a Company Mission Statement. This will help you define the purpose and direction of your company to yourself, your employees, and your customers.

(2) Develop a Company Logo.

(3) Develop a company slogan. This can go out of your mission statement, but should be a simple concept targeted at your customers that embody your company's image.

(4) Use your logo and slogan on all internal and external communication. People will start to associate your logo image and slogan with your business.

(5) Reinforce your mission statement through your customer service. A good customer experience will not only keep that customer coming back, but will help build your Brand.

(6) Keep your message simple. Don't confuse your audience. Be simple and to the point of who you are, what your company does, and what separates you from your competition.

Once a strong Brand is established, your customers will already have an idea of who you are and what you stand for. This will help you introduce new products, approach new clients, and expand your customer base. Though Branding does need constant reinforcement, it is one of the most valuable marketing tools and asset of your company.

Melissa Werkenthin is the owner and founder of Loki Media, a marketing and advertising consulting firm specializing in electronic media. For more information about her services or if you would like to receive a free monthly e-newsletter, Marketing Your Business, please visit www.lokimedia.com or email Melissa Werkenthin.

Use Your E-mail Address As a Branding Tool

--> Use Your E-mail Address As a Branding Tool Even before you launch your website, you can (and should) begin
to use your domain name. Why? Because it is the worlds cheapest
advertising tool and an excellent way to brand your business.
How? By using your domain name in your email address and in your
signature file.

If your email address reads yourname@aol.com or you@bell.com -
you are branding the name of your Internet Service Provider. Why
should you do it? Your ISP doesn't pay you for it. Indeed, you
pay THEM a monthly fee!!!

Quite likely you were not aware that you do have a choice here.
Instead of advertising Earthlink, GTE, BellSouth, or AOL, you
can advertise and brand your own business and your own name.

In case you didn't know, here is how it works. For example, my
own service provider is home.com -- but my e-mail program is
configured so, that the address I use in my "from" field says
"wanda@loska.com". I can do that because my web host provides
me with a forwarding service. That means, any message sent to
wanda@loska.com is forwarded automatically to my *home.com*
account.

Don't think that you need to launch your web site to be able to
do this -- even if you are not ready, you can use this feature.
I suggest that once you get a domain name, you set up a simple
page like this: http://internetsuccesscoach.com/bizcard.html
-- but even this is not necessary.

To use your domain name in email address, you only need to have
a domain name and a decent web host. Yes, really. With domain
name registration costs as low as $9.95 per year, and with web
hosting fees around $15-30 per month -- can you afford NOT to
do it? I don't think so!

To register a domain name, you might want to use a special
name-find tool at http://BuyDomains.com -- it allows you to
search for the domain names containing your specific key words.
Excellent time saving device!

When choosing your domain name keep this in mind:

-> Select a name that is not only easy to pronounce and easy to
spell -- make sure that it spells the same way as it sounds.

-> Avoid hyphens, numbers and abbreviations to prevent future
confusion -- unless registering both versions -- for example,
I registered both domain names: EMailMarketingTips.com and
E-MailMarketingTips.com

-> Chances are that the name you really want is not available as
dot-com anymore. If so, select another, less perfect name, but
try to get dot-com before you opt for .net or .org -- or any
other extensions.

-> Make it is as short as possible. Yes, virtually all one word
domain names with dot-com extension are taken, but don't give
up too easily on two-word names. There are still many great
ones available.

-> Three, or even four-word domain names can be good too if
they are not too long. Make sure you count syllables as well.
If it is easy to pronounce and under six syllables, most
likely it is fine (my InternetSuccessCoach.com has 3 words
and 6 syllables for example)

Using your own domain name is not only cost-free branding tool.
In addition this type of email address adds instant credibility
to your correspondence and - even more important - your e-mail
address will stay the same even when you change your ISP (and
most likely you will, trust me!).

Think Beyond Today and Start Branding Your Future

--> Think Beyond Today and Start Branding Your Future One of the subjects that has been thrown around
a lot lately is branding. I guess it is something
that I have done for years without realizing it.
Yet once I really started thinking about it, I
realized that it is something too many people
spend no time or money doing.

The large companies spend millions doing nothing
but getting their name in front of customers.
I have not had a television in years but the
normal routine of people has probably not changed.
A commercial comes and people are off doing the
dishes, off to the bathroom or finish filling
out your list of things to do for tomorrow.

Even though the mind set of people is to other
things while the commercials are on, advertisers
still spend huge money to get their name mentioned
in a 30 second spot. Why? Even though a lot of
people are doing other things, they still hear
Drink Pepsi or Coke is the one.

Sure these people want you to watch the commercial
and by running it over and over, they hope to
accomplish this. But the real branding here is
for you to hear or see their name. The more you
see it, the more likely you are to remember it
when you are making a decision on what to spend
your money on.

When banner ads stopped producing the kind of
response they once were, prices for them started
dropping. If you need to pay bills this week, it
is not the method of advertising that you would
want to choose but for branding it is great.

A few hundred thousand banner impressions can
do wonders for your name recognition. And today,
with a little shopping around, you can get them
very cheap.

I keep a constant watch on Ebay for banner
impressions. Watch a few auctions and get a
feel for what kind of prices they are going
for. Then start watching for some good deals.

There are a lot of places that will put your
banner on their site with unlimited impressions
for a month, two months or even more.

There have been a few companies lately offering
unlimited banners for the life of their site.
Banners may not be the road to getting rich if
you are trying to sell them but they sure can
be a nice way to get a little name recognition
for the advertiser.

A little word of caution here. Check out the
person who is auctioning off the product. Ebay
allows feedback on every transaction and you
can get a pretty good picture of what kind of
person you are dealing with. Make sure you
check before bidding.

Here is a link to the section that has banner
auctions.

http://listings.ebay.com/aw/plistings/list/category11763/index.html

So many people think they have to get a return
on their advertising investment today. You will
find those who are very successful are always
looking towards tomorrow.

Start thinking about the long term when spending
money on advertising. A little money on branding
yourself each month will go a long ways towards
assuring your business success in the future.
Think beyond today and start branding your future.

the 4C's of Branding

--> the 4C's of Branding The 4 C's of Personal Branding
By Michelle L. Casto, M.Ed.

Branding could be defined as a guiding philosophy for building business. The benefits of building a strong brand are tremendous. With a strong name brand, you have instant name recognition, can charge higher fees, get to choose who you work with, and can handle economic changes and challenges with greater ease. In addition, a strong brand demonstrates the four C's of branding: Clarity, Competence, Communication, and Constancy.
Does your brand pass the 'Four C Test?'

C1: Clarity
Strong brands are clear about who they are and what they do. They have named and claimed their domain, often in the form of a mission statement that is shared with employees, customers, and the community. For Microsoft Corporation, Bill Gates envisioned a computer on every desk in the world.

My mission statement is clear and concise.
1____(no) 5_____ (maybe) 10_____ (yes)

C2: Competence
Strong brands have suitable skills, qualifications, and experience related to their field. They prove their worth by under promising and over-delivering. These are the people and companies you call when you need the job done right the first time. Fed Ex is known for getting your package there "no matter what."

I have full confidence in my ability and products/or services.
1____(no) 5_____ (maybe) 10_____ (yes)


C3: Communication
Strong brands have a variety of ways to get their message delivered to their intended audience. Nowadays, companies have to use traditional and non-traditional ways of communicating with their customers. With my own coaching business, I give in-person seminars, write books, workbooks, articles, an ezine, advertise in magazines, radio/television stations, maintain two websites, and use other internet services and sites to communicate locally and globally.

My communication system if far-reaching and varied.
1____(no) 5_____ (maybe) 10_____ (yes)


C4: Constancy
Strong brands are highly visible to their target audience. They are constantly there for their customers, prospects, and networking contacts. The Oprah empire is a great example. She is everywhere! From her weekly tv show, to O magazine, numerous media appearances, and volunteer activities--- Oprah is constantly in the public eye.
My visibility is high and consistent.
1____(no ) 5_____ (maybe) 10_____ (yes)


In an issue of Fast Company magazine, it said, "We are CEO's of our own company, Me, Inc. To be in business today, your most important job is to build a market for the brand called You. The good news is that everyone has a change to stand out. Everyone has a chance to be a brand worthy of remark." When building and branding your business, you need to keep the four C's in mind, because no brand can become the best brand without passing the 'Four C Test.'

How does your brand rate?
0-15: You need to work on your branding strategy
15-30: You have made some headway with your brand strategy
30-40: You have a solid name brand strategy