Establishing a Business Brand

Unique is the most important word for your business brand. Your brand becomes the unique identity for your business, and it’s all the thoughts, feelings and expectations that are associated with that identity as well. People think about brands in terms of the overall impression they have of them, including logos, colors and images; personal experiences of the product or service; and even news reports about the company. This total perception, living in the heart and mind of your customer, is your brand.

Brands need to be positioned, which means defining who they’re for and why they’re the best choice. For example , if we have an intended audience (families on a budget) and a differential (kid-friendly, stylish rooms); this is the beginning of brand building. In addition, you should articulate a brand promise that lays out what to expect from an experience of your brand.  

Examples of a brand

• Volvo promises its cars are the safest.
• Ben and Jerry’s brand promises innovative ice cream flavors and social responsibility.
• FedEx promises your packages will be delivered overnight.

I promise you can increase sales without selling out. What’s your brand promise? Unenlightened marketers skip this step entirely and doom themselves to commodity status. Do you want to be just another entry in the Chamber of Commerce directory? Of course not! You want to be the Starbucks of your profession.

Starbucks proved the power of branding by transforming a measly pennies-per-cup beverage into an experience its audience would pay scads of money for. They expanded the coffee playing field from simply aroma and flavor to include atmosphere, skilled service (not from wait staff, but “barristers”), fair trade and more benefits than my poor little truck stop coffee counter had ever heard of. How can you transform your own commodity into a brand? (Hint: differentiated value)

The irony here is that almost every business has a brand identity of some kind, just not necessarily the one they want. You've heard people refer to “the expensive place,” or “that weird guy who does something tax-related.” Then there's the reference “cars for old people,” or “the ones made in sweat shops.” You see people brand you on their own. The point is to brand yourself on purpose and put the information out there where your potential clients can see and hear your business brand identity. Work at making it as prominent in the minds of your audience as the other impressions they receive. If you don’t do it, someone else will do it for you, and you might not like the results.  

Know your audience Know who buys your product. What are their interests? What is precious to them, enough to prioritize above other purchases? Well-positioned brands have a clear audience, a unique selling position and make a compelling promise.  

Not sure you have what it takes to be a brand? Visit my website and click to leave a voice message and Lynn K. Thompson, the branding pro, will help you develop a branding package for your business. Whether it's a logo or a complete marketing package, she can help you put your personal stamp on your business brand.