| Many business owners spend much of their time, | | | | consider rebranding to better communicate your |
| money and energy promoting their products and | | | | message. Then look at your tag line (you do have a |
| services instead of building their brand image. If your | | | | tag line, right?) and determine whether your tag line |
| main emphasis is on your product offerings, then you | | | | further supports and clarifies this brand message. Then |
| don't have a brand, you have a commodity. You are | | | | do the same thing with your company logo. If you |
| most likely competing solely on price because you | | | | want to be known for being cutting edge, does your |
| have not clearly defined your unique marketing position | | | | logo look tired and outdated? If so, revise it and define |
| - what it is that makes you different, special and more | | | | a standard set of logo colors that will appear |
| compelling than anyone else in your industry. | | | | wherever your company brand name is marketed, on |
| Why do most business owners avoid branding their | | | | brochures, web pages, collateral materials. Be |
| companies? In short, because it's hard work. It takes | | | | consistent in everything you do, and have your |
| time, attention and honesty to "drill down" and | | | | company name, tag line, logo, and design speak with a |
| determine a company's core strengths. And it takes | | | | unified voice. |
| courage to devote a company's future on owning a | | | | Once you have aligned your brand name, brand |
| niche market. Instead, most owners will think they are | | | | message, and corporate image, you will find that you |
| playing it safe by trying to be all things to all people. But | | | | start to gain more attention and recognition in your field. |
| in the end, that strategy fails precisely because there is | | | | Customers will recall you more easily and know what |
| no central focus. Consumers can't remember what | | | | it is you stand for. You may "lose" some potential |
| they can't recall. So if you say you are known for | | | | customers, but these will be the ones that would never |
| price, quality, service, selection, reputation, honesty and | | | | had been a good fit in the first place. If you become |
| being family owned and operated, that's just too much | | | | known for quality, these are the ones who would have |
| for anyone to remember. Even major corporations will | | | | complained about your prices. So by aligning correctly, |
| only attempt to own one niche of a market, such as | | | | you will attract a better matching clientele - customers |
| Wal-mart's focus on price, Volvo's focus on safety | | | | that love your business and refer you to similar |
| and Apple's focus on innovation. | | | | wonderful customers. |
| If you want to successfully brand your company, you | | | | Making tough decisions is never easy, and defining |
| have to be willing to make choices and commit to | | | | your company's main purpose, its reason for being, is |
| promoting your key strength. In reality, you are giving | | | | one of the most crucial tasks you will face as a |
| up nothing, and actually gaining recognition for excelling | | | | business owner. But by doing so, you will be able to |
| at something. Rolls Royce is not missing the market by | | | | transcend the role of a commodity seller of goods and |
| not having a cheap version of their car. In fact, their | | | | services. You will begin to represent something |
| image would suffer, even it they gained a few more | | | | meaningful to your client base. It may be service |
| sales. Their brand is based on prestige -- that is their | | | | extraordinaire, unmatched quality, knowledge and |
| focal point. A good way to measure if your company | | | | expertise, or innovative leadership. By focusing on |
| really has a brand image at all is to ask this simple | | | | what you do best, you will become "branded" in the |
| question, "What one word defines our company?" If | | | | minds of your customers, command greater dollars for |
| you can't come up with one, chances are you are | | | | your services, and gain a loyal and dedicated following. |
| scattered in too many directions. | | | | That's much better than being all things to all people. |
| To build your company into a brand name, start by | | | | And instead of being just another seller of products |
| defining your core strength. Then ask if your company | | | | and services, you will have a company that has made |
| brand name reflects and supports that attribute. If not, | | | | a name for itself! |