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Three Steps to Develop Your Brand

by admin on October 26th, 2007

Special guest author: Susan Gunelius (more on Susan at the end of the post)

Even a business that you operate from the comfort of your own home can benefit from a well-defined brand strategy, and despite what you might think, branding does not have to be complicated. In fact, by following these three steps, you can easily develop and execute your own brand strategy.

1. Define the image you want to portray in the marketplace: What does your business stand for? Who are you? What image or perception do you want to have in your customers’ minds? A brand isn’t just a logo or iconic symbol, it’s a reflection of your business’s overall message. Do you want to be trendy and hip or classic and refined? Are you the P Diddy of your business or more like Calvin Klein? The first step to creating a brand is to determine where you want your business to be positioned in your marketplace and in the minds of your customers. Again, who are you?

2. Communicate your brand message: You can’t expect people to understand your brand’s image unless you tell them what it is. Maximize every opportunity you can to communicate your brand’s message. From business cards to invoices and memos to advertising, scream your brand message to the world and let everyone know who you are and what you stand for. Imagine if Lamborghini rolled out a new low-priced station wagon. How would that affect their brand? What if they started using a tagline that said, “Lamborghini, the family car” in their advertising. How would that affect their brand? Once you decide what your brand message will be, make sure everyone else understands it, too.

3. Be consistent and persistent: The easiest way to destroy a brand image is by inconsistently communicating it thereby confusing customers. In today’s world, consumers hear more messages than they can process each day. Your consistency and persistence will help break through that clutter and generate awareness, recognition and understanding of your brand. For example, pick a logo that reflects your brand image and stick with it. Once your brand message is defined in step two above, consistently communicate it and don’t give up. Breaking through advertising clutter is similar to breaking through to a toddler. It’s hard to capture the attention of consumers, once you’ve got their attention, make sure your message is loud and clear.

For more about branding, stop by Brandcurve. Here is a list of several Brandcurve posts that are particularly relevant to personal branding or branding a home-based business:

• Five Rules for Effective Branding
• 3 Steps to Develop Your Brand Position Organically
• Three Definitions of Brand
• Stay True to Your Core

Guest Blogger, Susan Gunelius, is the author of b5media’s branding blog at www.Brandcurve.com. She has over a decade of experience in corporate marketing, advertising and branding and currently works from home as a writer. Her first two business nonfiction books are scheduled for publication in 2008.

Tags: Brandcurve, branding

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POSTED IN: Business Tips, Tutorials