and why it’s important to have a brand. Now, let’s break down the goal of your brand and also the steps that go into developing a powerful one that can live on without you and leave a legacy.

What’s the Goal of Branding?
It’s to capture the initial purchase of your customer and gain loyalty so that they continue to come back for more.  When you start to develop your brand, you should know  how you want to be positioned. You can’t market anything until you understand your brand, your competitive advantage, the results you provide and most importantly…what do you want people to be saying about you?

STEP ONE: EXPLORE

•    Focus on your core service and the emotion it creates. Really know that button it pushes in your audience. (Does your target market want to turn over a new leaf, save time, gain more control, keep up with the Jones’, improve their health or sex appeal, launch a business, improve finances?) Really know what they want and work hard to deliver it!

•  Know Your Brand personality: What are the fundamental beliefs of your organization? How do you communicate it? Really brainstorm with your team and come up with ways to market that ‘personality’ of your brand.

• Get in touch with personal brand. How do you show off your personal style? Is it the crisp suits, the funky flaired dresses, the way you wear your hair, or your stylish eyeglass frames? Let people get to know who you are and be memorable! Get from behind the computer and start meeting folks. Volunteer for projects, join committees, join boards that let you shine and show your passion.

•    What’s the number one compliment you hear from clients/customers?  Start gathering testimonials to support your brand and show results in your marketing materials on why people should choose YOUR COMPANY.

•    Get clear on your positioning in market place w/ competitive analysis—really understand your competitive advantage. Is it your money back guarantee, stellar customer service, your location, quality, timeliness, etc?
•    TEST/SURVEY-Don’t assume just because you like it everyone else will!

STEP TWO: DEVELOP

•    Be consistent  with the use of you logo, colors, slogan, etc…Don’t have your logo on your business cards and they not on your email blast. If you colors are purple and gold, stick to them consistantly!

•    Have a defined brandmark –your brandmark are your badges of your identity, your logo/icon, name and tag line. It must be backed with the promise of what you are going to deliver.  Best example we all know is:  (ICON-SWOOSH, NAME-NIKE, TAG LINE)—JUST DO IT

•  BECOME A WALKING TALKING BILLBOARD…an expert at selling yourself. Make sure your team is on the same page as you and you are all express the same message ie: elevator speech.

•  Strategize: Develop your marketing strategy and know the tools that you will use. Here are some examples:

•    Direct contact
•    Networking
•    Public Speaking
•    Writing/Publicity
•    Promotional Events
•    Online ads/Social Media
•    Advertising
•    Strategic Partnerships (Cross Promotions)

STEP THREE: EVOLVE

Your business is just like your baby. It will go through changes, it will grow, there may be some adjustments needed based on the demand and the direction the company is headed. Be prepared for the growth and change!

•    Measure for success: Surveys, interviews,  testimonials, focus groups to gather data and see if your reputation is what you’ve been promoting.

•    Track your progress over time and keep doing things that strengthen  your brand identity. These  innovations will  improve things that aren’t working.

•  Revamp your image from time to time, if needed. However, if it AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT! If money is flowing into your bank account, you must be doing something right. If not, go back to measuring for success and find out where you need to improve.

Good luck with developing a POWER HOUSE BRAND!  Don’t forget to catch the first article!