Define Your Brand Before it Defines You

Having a brand is not a choice; it is something that merely exists. Whether you are an international company with commercials in the Super Bowl or a small family-owned business, you have a brand. The choice you have is whether or not to nurture your brand and define it in a way that will best showcase the abilities and strengths of your company. If you do, you will be able to use it to influence buying decisions, build relationships with customers and prospects and ultimately increase your bottom line. If you don't, your audience will decide it for you, and it may not be the reputation you had hoped.

Many people define "brand" differently, but at the root it is as simple as the identity of a specific product, service or business. Your brand is what distinguishes your products and services from those of your competitors. This is an important distinction to make clear to your target audience, giving them reasons to purchase from you instead of someone else. Consumers base buying decisions on many factors, which can be summarized to include recognition, trust and loyalty, all of which are developed significantly through branding efforts. Without building consumer demand it is extremely difficult for any business to survive long-term.

It is up to each business to determine what their brand will be and nurture it as such. It can be based on quality, price, service levels, luxury, a commitment to the environment or other social issues, etc. Many times your brand will encompass a number of different concepts designed to complement each other. Whatever you choose, your brand will actually determine who your target audience should be as well as the best way to connect with those consumers. Since branding is all about building relationships and trust, it is vital to keep everything you do consistent with your aspired identity and realize that both customers and prospects take into account every single interaction when determining if they like you, trust you and want to buy from you. This can include advertisements they saw through any form of media, communication with your customer service team, the appearance of your employees in public, signage on your buildings, personal experiences using your product or service, word of mouth, etc.

While large companies have long been focused on brand awareness, smaller and younger companies often overlook this key concept. Things you do every day will influence your brand, and in order to achieve a clear cut identity for your business, it's necessary to get everyone on board. Your brand is manipulated at every stage of the process so it is important that all departments are aware of the company's branding goals and keep them in mind at all times. This includes everyone from Manufacturing to Customer Service to Sales to Executives. No one should be left out of your branding efforts. Consumer impressions can also be influenced by the reputation of companies you associate with through co-branding, sponsorship or business transactions, so keep that in mind when choosing which relationships to develop.

People will start drawing conclusions about a product or service starting from the first time they are exposed to it, and will continue to do so from then on. Make sure your audience always gets a good impression by staying true to your brand and customers alike.