How to Brand Your Name In Business

Your brand is what you’re known for. the promises of value you or your product make and keep. Good branding is the act of becoming known for something that you do, above any other competitor. As a small scale business owner it is very likely that you don’t have an established brand like large companies do—which means if you want to gain loyal customers, you must create a brand of your own.

The benefits of a strong brand

Here are just a few benefits you will enjoy when you create a strong brand:

· A strong brand influences the buying decision and shapes the ownership experience.

· Branding creates trust and an emotional attachment to your product or company.

· A strong brand can command a premium price and maximize the number of units that can be sold at that premium.

· Branding will help you "fence off" your customers from the competition and protect your market share while building mind share. Once you have mind share, your customers will automatically think of you first when they think of your product category.

· A strong brand signals that you want to build customer loyalty, not just sell product. A strong branding campaign will also signal that you are serious about marketing and that you intend to be around for a while. A brand impresses your firm's identity upon potential customers, not necessarily to capture an immediate sale but rather to build a lasting impression of you and your products.

· Branding builds name recognition for your company or product.

A brand will help you articulate your company's values and explain why you are competing in your market

Putting yourself in your brand

Is there something unique or otherwise notable about your services or product that’s worth mentioning to someone? Then don’t just mention it—shout it from the rooftops!

What do you think of when you hear, “Rule your world”? How about, “brewed for the strong”?

Effective companies constantly reinforce public awareness of their brands

to achieve long-lasting recognition. Your own brand should encompass something unique about your business, or about you, so that potential customers learn to recognize your style.

How to create a strong brand

To create an effective brand you must first define the type of customer you have. Second, you should create and refine your brand to a simple phrase as possible, third, create a logo and fourth, you have to promote your brand constantly.

Assuming you already know your customers, or who you’re trying to appeal to, then let’s talk about the second phase: creating and refining your brand.

1. Define your key core competency or best thing you offer

Take some time, sit down and really apply yourself to defining the single best thing that you do. Often this will be what people already mention when they discuss you or your services or products—after all, it’s what you’re good at.

2. Create a key phrase built around your core competency

There will probably be many ways to describe yourself and your unique abilities, but remember that a key phrase should be short and very concise. Work towards that.

Don’t ever use ambiguous statements like “The low priced leader.” Of what exactly? Look around and see what statements are being used by other brands and learn from them. Learn from their mistakes or successes, and then when you create your own key phrase, be different!

3. Draft a symbol or logo to reinforce the message visually

Having a symbol or visual identity to go along with your branding statement can be very effective...

Effectively promoting your brand

Large companies with deep-pockets can launch massive campaigns utilizing every form of media. Most of us will not have the resources for that, so each piece of information we produce must be effective. Consistently using your brand statement and/or brand symbol this will help you get the most bang for your buck.

This means putting your brand on everything you create. If you send e-mails, use your brand phrase or statement below your signature line. If you produce postcards or flyers, place the statement prominently. Also, don’t forget to put your brand on your web site and business cards.

Ideally you’ll have a well-balanced mix of online and offline promotion, and through repeated use you will begin to forge an identity based upon your defining statement. You may even become “one” with the brand, like Nike has with “Just Do It.” You know when this “oneness” is achieved by the fact that people know instantly who you are when your symbol is displayed or your phrase is written or spoken.

Remember, a brand exist in the mind of the consumer. It is the intangible sum of thoughts and feelings about a particular company, services or product.  

How Your Brand Image Could Be Destroyed

However, a brand can be damaged much quicker than it can grow - five things that will quickly damage your brand include:

· Untrustworthy behaviour

· Concern about public safety or health

· Poor customer service (at any level)

· Obvious company financial difficulty

Poor quality products

Get the balance right and your business will go from strength to strength.