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Branding is extremely important to a business, yet it is so often left in the dust. When you hear the term “branding” you think of logos and slogans. While these are part of a company’s “brand” they do not define the brand. Think of every major brand and then think of what they would be like if they were a real person. Nike “Just do it”, what do you think of? Speed, youth and confidence? That’s exactly what it’s designed to make you think of. The logo is designed to make you more confident in yourself when you purchase that brand. That’s what branding is all about; it’s the embodiment of who and what a company is and most importantly, why it matters. A good brand: -Motivates customers -Creates customer loyalty -Envokes an emotional response from your customers -Makes your credible -Is clear and concise How do I accomplish this? 1. Having a perspective Like a person companies have perspectives and views on certain issues. A fast food company isn’t all about healthy food, they are all about convenience, cost and taste. This vastly differs from a company like Wild Oats that charges premiums for its organic products. To them health is worth a little extra time and money and usually their customers agree. 2. Who are you, what do you do (why does it matter!?!) Many companies fail to define themselves and fly by the seat of their pants. Creating focus for a company will not only help your brand but it will help your employees identify with the company and understand why their work is important. More importantly than who you are and what you do is why does it matter. This is also known as a USP or a unique selling proposition. Why should customers buy from you and not your competitors, what is that’s different or special about you? If there is nothing that differentiates you from your competitors than you are unlikely to have huge success, 3. Presentation So much of branding is about perception and appearance. If you are a high end services company you need expensive offices and professional sounding receptionists. If you are a skateboard company it’s more about style and acting casual, a big office doesn’t suit you in this case. Keep presentation in your mind at all times, this is how your customers will perceive you. 4. Be consistent The thing that makes a brand work is that it’s consistent; it doesn’t change. When you go to McDonalds’ you know that you’re going to get the same Big Mac no matter where you are or when you buy. A coke is always going to taste like you expect and theres no surprises. Sure in reality there are failures and burgers aren’t always delicious. But this is why consistency is so important. You must make every attempt to deliver on your promises every single time. Failing to do what you claim will damage your brand very quickly. If your company focuses on service and you have an unhelpful customer service department say goodbye to your business. 5. Don’t be afraid to change This one sounds a little contradictory but it is ok to change certain elements of your brand to keep up with the market. If your brand focuses on being old fashioned taking on new logos and fancy designs isn’t a great idea. But in many cases brands need to be developed over time to become the Nikes and Pepsi’s of the world so don’t restrict yourself if it means improvement. http://www.slideshare.net/perfectpixels/creating-a-brand-persona http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1073790776