Branding Explained

There are many ways to define a brand. For instance, BuildingBrands.com defines it as “a collection of perceptions in the mind of the consumer.” Also consider that “a brand is a promise,” according to Walter Landor, a brand design legend.

Everyone has their own definition of what a brand is, but these two statements sum it up pretty nicely. What do you want your customer to think of when she thinks of your company? What does your customer think when he looks at your business brochures? You need to create what you want your customers to feel and think when they see your business. That’s a brand.

Brand Characteristics
So how do you make a positive, memorable brand? Three things characterize great brands:

Uniqueness. The whole point of branding is to differentiate yourself from your competitors. You can’t please everyone, and you shouldn’t try to with your brand – you’ll just confuse people. You need to create a brand that is unique to your company and/or your product. Use your brochure printing budget to print several full color brochures that don’t look or feel the same as your competitors’ brochures.

Brands keep their promise. Your brand should reflect your business – how it is, not how you would like it to be, or what it could be. Your brand must link to the style, culture, product and service of your business. Your brand must have integrity. Whatever you promise should be what you deliver.

Brands are integrated. A quality brand should be shown in and reinforced by everything you do: Your prices, your customer service, even your business location.

Likewise, your marketing should be integrated. If your marketing materials, such as your business brochures, don’t have any similarity to your store or Web site, no cohesiveness will happen in your customers’ minds as they look through your brochure and later enter your store.

It’ll be like they’re thinking of two different stores. It’s easy to keep your marketing materials integrated – you can even ask your brochure printing company for tips on how to create full color brochures or other materials to keep that cohesive feel.

Tips to Creating a Great Brand

So now that you know more about brands, here are some tips to help you create your own brand.

1.    Choose your promise. Make sure your promise is based upon something authentic in your business, something you value and would be willing to defend. Your choices are almost endless:

•    You could be an attorney who only caters to divorces for mothers.
•    Nordstrom's promise is that it offers excellent customer service.

What can you promise and deliver on better than your competition? How are you different?

2.    Brainstorm a campaign strategy. Meet with friends or other employees and brainstorm some marketing ideas. If you have a brochure printing company, what kind of brochure printing will you focus on? Gather focus groups to help you pick the best idea. Create a logo that matches your brand identity and a tagline that reinforces your image. Then get the word out.

3.    Strengthen your brand. The best way to strengthen your brand is to get it out there for people to see and remember.

Choose colors that reflect what you want the customer to feel when they see your brand; create a Web site that includes these colors, fonts, and your brand message on each page. Keep these colors and themes in all your marketing materials – posters, brochures, billboards – whatever. Just keep it consistent to help people remember you!