We define brand as a representation of consumer perception the perception and feeling toward a product or service. For example, when we think of Disney, we may think of magic, or when we think of Harley-Davidson, we may think of individuality. Each of these brands has done an exceptional job in branding themselves as something more than a table stake (representing the minimum investment as a cost of entry) of the category. They each represent more than a benign descriptor of the efficacy of the category as a whole, i.e. fun in Disneys case or feeling the wind in your face in the case of Harley-Davidson.

Even though Disney is one of the top vacation destination in the U.S. and Harley has become the most desired motorcycle brand, they have positioned themselves as an extension of the customers they wish to influence rather than simply relying on differentiation through a restatement of a generic category benefit. In short, through foresight and proper understanding of what brand is and is not, Disney and Harley have protected themselves from falling victim to being first in their category.

At first, it really sounds odd to say that a brand has done a good job protecting itself from being number one in their category. After all, isnt it the goal of many companies to rise to that coveted position? Unfortunately, however, it can be a pratfall and dangerous precipice. In order to really understand what it means to protect your brand from dangers of category preference, lets look at some brands that have fallen victim to the very danger we are so far discussing.

Ever heard of Kleenex? How about Band-Aid? Or, how about Frisbee, Thermos, Q-Tip, Ziploc, or Windex? Most people cannot name another brand of flying disc other than Frisbee. Yet, when they go to the store to actually purchase a flying disc, they may very well purchase a competitors product without ever realizing that they never bought the real thing. The same holds true for Thermos and Band-aid or, for that matter, any of the other brands mentioned. Each of these famous brands has become so synonymous with their category that they have, in turn, become their category. These brands have never been positioned to be an extension of who the consumer believes they are when they use the product instead they represent, in a very real sense, the BENEFIT that the category promises.

Each of these brands was instrumental in building the category, and many were first to invent their category. Of course, in the beginning of their product life cycle, they needed to build the category so that consumers would understand what benefit they provided no criticism here on that front. Indeed it was a prudent strategy for each of them to build the category by positioning themselves as that category. We all covet the prime position. However, they neglected to utilize their tremendous first mover advantage and failed to leverage their position in the market to modify their brand messaging as more players entered the market. Instead, each of these brands rested on its laurels and chose to defend the status quo. As a result, each has, in turn, watched their margins and market share erode.

Is this inevitable? Hardly. All you need do is look at Disney. Disneyland is generally credited as being the first GREAT theme park since its opening in 1955. Yet, it is never confused with the generic category name as a theme parks. Why? Disney has always positioned itself as something more than a theme park even when Disney needed to define the very category it invented. Magic can only happen in theme parks where Mickey lives.

So you may be asking yourself why becoming the generic title for the category is an issue. Logic dictates that if a consumer goes to a store to purchase one of these category titled products, they should choose one of the generic titled brands. It should be so, shouldnt it? However, experience shows us that there are a formidable number of customers that will instantly look at other things, like price, and make their decisions solely based on that. A Band-Aid shopper may leave with store brand bandage or a Frisbee shopper may leave with a Discraft brand disc. A well-positioned and well thought-out brand would isolate the attrition in this scenario by giving the consumer another reason to choose besides price or a category definition. Does it matter to those who buy Harleys that they are expensive? Not at all, its a Harley.

Great brands understand that brand is more than visual appeal or a catchy slogan. The essence of brand is actually in the consumer who the brand targets to influence. This enables brands to protect themselves from being number one and risk becoming the generic title for the entire category. Moreover, executing the brand in this way insulates it from new entrants and price sensitivity. It is in BRAND, not attributes or efficacy, that margins ultimately reside. The worlds best brands understand this very well; just ask Harley-Davidson and Disney

Corbin Rusch is a senior brand strategist at Stealing Share, Inc, a global strategic branding firm. Corbin has a wide variety of category expertise building brands in the construction, automotive, consumer products, financial services, and beverage industries just to name a few.

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As a franchisor often one will be presented with relatively simple transactions, which on paper have significance but in reality will not change the franchise relationship between the franchisor and the franchisee. Even so such changes could be significant down the road. For instance, take the assignment of the franchise agreement, which is transferred into a newly formed corporation or LLC. A franchisee may do this, to limit its liability, for tax purposes or other legal reasons.

A franchisor must consider how this will effect his operations in dealing with the franchisee and making sure that the new corporation as the same partners and legal entities behind it, because a franchisee might be bringing in monies from a competitor, someone who has not signed the franchise agreement and is not bound by its stipulations or they might be trying to dodge tax laws, and thus jeopardizing the company brand-name if something wrong. It is for this reason that I modified our clauses in our franchise agreement regarding assignments of the franchise agreement to a corporation or LLC. Below is the clause that I came up with for our company;

5.3 Assignment to Corporation or Limited Liability Company

If Franchisee is a partnership or individual and hereafter desires to conduct the Franchised Business in an incorporated or limited liability company form, Franchisor will not unreasonably withhold its consent to the transfer of this Agreement and Franchisees interest herein to any corporation or limited liability company formed for that purpose; provided that Franchisee and such corporation or company must, prior to such transfer, satisfy such reasonable requirements as Franchisor shall impose, which may include, without limitation, the following:

(a) Franchisee or its partners will at all times be the record and/or beneficial owner of, and will have, by law or by written agreement satisfactory to Franchisor, voting control of, not less than fifty-one percent (51%) of the issued and outstanding shares or membership interests of each class of the capital stock or membership interests of such corporation or company;

(b) No other person or entity, except members of Franchisees or its partners respective immediate families or trusts for the benefit of such family members, may own or have any right to acquire any capital stock, membership interests or other securities of such corporation or company;

(c) The form and content of the articles or certificate of incorporation, organization or formation of such corporation or company and by-laws of any such corporation or operating agreement of any such company must contain provisions enforceable under applicable law restricting the issuance and transfer of capital stock, membership interests or securities of the corporation or company to such extent as Franchisor shall reasonably require;

(d) Franchisor must have been furnished in writing the names and address of all existing or prospective shareholders or members of the corporation or company and Franchisee or its partners and (if requested by Franchisor) each such shareholder or member, or prospective shareholder or member, must have guaranteed in writing (in form and substance satisfactory to Franchisor) the performance by the corporation or company of the obligations of the Franchisee under this Agreement; and

(e) Each shareholder or member must have executed and delivered to Franchisor a \r non-competition covenant in form and substance satisfactory to Franchisor, containing the covenants not to compete required by Section 3.20.3 hereof. After assignment of this Agreement to a corporation or limited liability company as above provided, or, if Franchisee is a corporation or limited liability company at the date of this Agreement, the sale, transfer, assignment or encumbrance or change in rights of any class or series of capital stock, membership interests or other securities of such corporation or company, whether by operation of law or otherwise, will be deemed a sale by Franchisee or (if a partnership) its partners or its or their interest(s) in this Agreement and will in all respects be subject to the limitations set forth in this Section 5 on the sale of Franchisees interests in this Agreement. Any merger, consolidation or reorganization by any corporation or limited liability company having an interest in this Agreement will be deemed a sale of such interest and, unless the prior written consent of Franchisor has been obtained, will constitute a material breach hereof.

— — — — —

It is interesting how something so simple can become so problematic. It is for this reason that I suggest that you consult an experienced and knowledgeable franchisee attorney and ask them how such a clause would best fit your franchise in company. I hope you will consider this in 2006.

\”Lance Winslow\” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

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Logos can be described as visual icons that provide a unique identification element to a business or product. Logos provide quick visual recognition of a Company which in-turn builds branding. Business owners and overly enthusiastic artists can often go astray in their efforts to design the perfect logo. There are too many examples of logo designs that look uninspired, overtly abstract or seem to be nothing more than whimsical art. Many of these logos are designed without forethought into usage, application or even cost impact upon a business. So how do you create a logo that makes business sense? Consider following a few simple guidelines:

Remember that your logo is a business tool. Your design concept should begin with a commitment to portray your business as professional and competent. A logo is not an art piece! Avoid using elements that may give a dated look such as those 1970s flowers that were on so many Volkswagen Beetle cars. A logo design should take into consideration how, when and where the logo will be used. A logo has a cost impact upon your business from the day that it is introduced. There is more to designing a logo than simply hiring an artist or online art shop to assemble shapes and colors it is a business decision.

Create your logo using vector graphics software. Simply put, images done in vector graphics can be resized and maintain design integrity. There is no loss in clarity, sharpness or definition and the file size remains constant. A common program for creating vector graphics is Adobe Illustrator. Software like Photoshop, which works in pixels, is better suite to working with photos and texture style areas. You can create your original image in any software but have it redone in a vector graphics format before you print or reproduce your logo. After all, a logo is all about sharp image.

Avoid complicated and intricate designs. A logo that is too intricate hinders rapid visual identification. The viewer is required to study the image in order to mentally process the image and relate its identification to a given company. Note the simplicity and high visual impact of the Nike Swish, an excellent image. Another reason to avoid complicated designs is that they do not reduce well. A busy, intricate logo on the side of a company truck may look wonderful but when the same logo is reduced in size for use on a business card it may become a meaningless blob of ink. Keep it simple and clean.

Limit color selection to a maximum of three colors. Ideally use one or two colors but never more than three. There are three main reasons for this guideline. One, your printing costs for printing business cards, letterhead, envelops, labels, etc. are increased for every additional color that you require. Your cheap logo design could end up costing you a lot of money. Reason number two, your visual impact or even identification could be diminished or completely lost in some mediums. Consider a logo that has overlaid images of different colors looks nice, right? What about when you fax your proposal or letter and your logo is now in a black and white realm? Does the black and white (grayscale) version still provide distinction? An example of lost-in-translation logo is a peacock used to promote color and via fax it ends up looking like a turkey. A final note on color selection is to carefully consider cultural and marketplace standards. For example, red may be lesser choice for a medical company due to the negative association of red to blood/danger whereas green might infer safety or a positive status.

Consistency and control in font usage. Do not use over two font styles, as it may be distracting and confusing. Try to use a standard font such as Times New Roman, Arial, etc. as it makes commercial reproduction of your image easier. Any font style should be sans serif and typically non-script to improve clarity in small format reproduction. An exception is a logo/name where the logo is the script font such as the trade name of a popular soft drink in a uniquely shaped bottle.

Check Trademark and Registration Rights. While a new logo runs a low statistical chance of violating any trademark or registration rights of any existing logo it is not a bad idea to make some effort to confirm this before you publish your new logo. And after you have settled on a final logo design you should take the effort to register or trademark your own logo. If you need an example of why then consider the yellow pages Walking Fingers logo. The design was never trademarked or registered and has no copyrights protection it could have been, but wasnt a huge loss of value for the original creators.

The author specializes in small business marketing services, advertising, logo and website design for small to mid-sized businesses in the United States. For more information on this or related topics please contact their offices at 770.654.3223.

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You no longer have your name - you have your name, PLUS, what people say after it.

I realized this axiom years ago during the first few years of wearing a nametag 24-7. See, while that time wasn\’t the most comfortable or productive, it was certainly the most interesting and enlightening. Probably because the idea was still evolving; and wearing a nametag was still SO organic that every day brought about exciting new moments its evolution.

By the time I graduated college, strangers began to approach me not only to ask why I was wearing a nametag; but also to ask if I was, in fact, That Guy Who Wore the Nametag.

Um, yeah. Yeah I am, Id say. Meanwhile Id be thinking, Wow! They already know who I am! Cool.

But it wasnt until January 15th, 2003 that it all came clear. That was the day CNN interviewed me about my first book HELLO, my name is Scott. That was the day I officially took ownership of my unique, powerful and UNFORGETTABLE personal brand - whether I liked it or not.

I guess I just never thought that someone would be CNN.

You see, whether or not youre a news buff, all television interviews are the same: the screen will display the person in question, his or her full name; then below is a one-line description of that persons job title, position or role in the featured story.

So, heres what CNN wrote about me:

SCOTT GINSBERG: NAMETAG WEARER

It was the hardest I ever laughed in my life. Nametag Wearer? Ha! You cant make this stuff up!

Which brings up an interesting point about branding, uniqueness and making your idea UNFORGETTABLE.

PICTURE THIS: youre sitting at the CNN studio, ready to be interviewed about your cool new idea, company or product. After giving the producer the correct spelling of your full name, she asks you, Oh, and one last thing before you go on the air in five minutes: what two or three words do you want written underneath your name?

Two or three words. Thats how fast your personal brand must be communicated. Not just with the media, but with personal introductions, marketing materials, business cards, websites and the like. Its a sad but true fact which reflects the rapid acceleration of our culture.

Whats more, if you cant concisely and immediately articulate who you are and what youre all about, one of two things will happen:

1) Someone else will communicate their personal brand and steal the show, according to Peter Montoya.

2) Someone else will take the liberty of communicating your brand for you. And it might not be the one you want.

For example, I was once introduced before giving speech in the following way:

Ladies and gentleman, I have the honor of introducing todays speaker. Scott Ginsberguhdoesnt have any credentialsbut uhIm sure youll be amazed by his youth! Please welcome, Scott Ginsberg.

I could actually hear the sound of my heart breaking as I walked on stage.

At least, I think it was my heart breaking. Then again, it might have been the sound of my credibility being crushed before an audience of 100 strangers, or perhaps it was the sound of the launching sequence of a speech I was about to totally bomb, which I did.

This is what COULD happen to you if youre not prepared to articulate your brand. It reminds me of the famous question from William Shakespeare\’s Romeo & Juliet: \”What\’s in a name?\”

But also reminds me of a more important question: \”What\’s AFTER a name?\”

2006 All Rights Reserved.

Scott Ginsberg is a professional speaker and the author of HELLO my name is Scott, The Power of Approachability and How To Be That Guy. He helps people MAXIMIZE their personal and professional approachability - one conversation at a time. To book Scott for your next association meeting, conference or corporate event, contact Front Porch Productions at 314/256-1800 or http://www.hellomynameisscott.com

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Branding is a very important part of any company\’s marketing campaign. No, I\’m not talking about that thing they do to cattle so everyone knows who they belong to. I\’m talking about branding, as in the identity that a company or product takes on.

The goal in corporate branding is to create a brand identity that is instantly recognized by a wide array of customers.

There are many examples of successful corporate branding. When you think of a big, yellow \”M\” with rounded arches on the top, what do you think of? The chances are, you think of McDonald\’s, the fast food giant.

When you think of a type of tissue that you use to wipe your nose, what do you think of? You probably think of Kleenex. Kleenex, however, is actually just one brand of tissue. Although customers regularly buy other types of tissue, such as that made by Charmin, they still call it Kleenex.

These are examples of highly successful corporate branding campaigns. These have been so successful that they have transcended the industry in which those companies exist. The work Kleenex has become synonymous with the tissue product, and McDonald\’s is seen as the epitome of fast food restaurants around the world.

In recent years, this strategy has also taken on a personal tone. There has been an increased focus on what has become known as personal branding. Like corporate branding, it seeks to build an identity, only instead of building an identity for a company, it does so for an individual.

There are some similarities between corporate branding and personal branding, as well as some differences.

Visual aspects are important to both types of branding. Whether you are trying to build recognition for your company, or form an identity for yourself, you have to do so with attractive marketing. In the case of business marketing, you will likely use color printing to convey a bright and intriguing picture for your company. In personal branding, you will predominantly use colorful language or actions, both of which have visual aspects.

The primary difference between the two is the usual approach taken in each. In corporate branding, companies try to lure customers in with a small item or product, and then branch that out to every part of the company, building brand recognition along the way. In personal branding, you start with the big picture instead, and work your way down. You first try to give people an overall picture of you as a person, and then work on smaller details as they become more comfortable.

Corporate branding has been around for generations, while personal branding, at least as a concept, is relatively new. However, they both play a major role in today\’s business market.

Charen Smith writes articles about Internet Marketing. She has an extensive knowledge and experience when it comes to business strategies, techniques and business solutions.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit: Commercial Color Printing

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This week saw the announcement of the new London 2012 Olympic brand. The brand vision has taken on the true spirit of the Olympic games, which is to bring people together and inspire people to push boundaries and fulfill their potential. As London 2012 Olympic Chair Sebastian Coe stated, \”London 2012 will be everyones games\”. This is a strong and appropriate vision for the games and the new emblem has embraced this spirit with the Olympic and Paralympic Games logos being the same for the first time in history. However, the design of the icon itself is likely to be less successful. The Olympic committee have striven to create a brand that will attract young people to the games and so encourage their participation in the games and sport in general. This is a worthwhile ambition for the games, especially considering the rise in childhood obesity, but it seems that they have overlooked their own vision of inclusiveness and created an image that the majority will struggle to connect with. So much so in fact that it has prompted an online petition for it to be scrapped, which has already received over 17,000 signatures. Responding to the huge number of complaints, the BBC has launched a competition to design an alternative logo.

Creating such a brash visual statement is a high-risk strategy not only because it may fail to communicate the spirit of the games to the majority of people, but because building a strong brand is critical in attracting private sector funding for the games and generating merchandise sales. The nature of the design also makes it likely to date very quickly. In fact, far from being forward thinking, it is viewed by many as looking like something from the 1980s and with the games still five years away, it may look even more dated by the time the games actually arrive.

It is also interesting to note that during the bidding process, London 2012 was billed as the first \’green\’ Olympics. This may well be embodied in much of the infrastructure being built for the games, but there is no mention of this link between the health benefits of sport and a healthy environment in the new brand vision. This could sadly lead to the 2012 games failing to make the most of their opportunity to communicate the benefits of sustainability on a global stage and showcase London and the UK as leaders in this field.

It is intended that the new brand will be dynamic and will evolve \”in the years between now and 2012\”, so perhaps there is still hope for the Olympic brand to recover and become something that connects with and inspires people across society, as well as communicating a strong message about the benefits of sport.

Details of the London 2012 brand can be found on the official website:

http://main.london2012.com/en/

-Tom Greenwood

Tom Greenwood, Brand Strategist and co-founder of Sustainable Brand Strategy company Scamper (http://www.sustainablebrandstrategy.com) says that the new Olympic brand not only fails to fulfil its own vision of \’everyones Olympics\’, but also misses the opportunity to promote London 2012 as the first green Olympics. http://www.sustainablebrandstrategy.com

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The Food Network is built on smart branding - for the Network as a whole, as well as for its individual celebrity chefs/hosts.

Two of its biggest brands are Rachael Ray and Sandra Lee. These two, in particular, provide an interesting branding lesson: you can occupy the same positioning within a niche, yet still have a brand that sets you apart.

Same Positioning. Distinct Brands.

The positioning these two stars occupy is one of authority in home-making convenience: quick and easy, quality meal preparation for busy women (mostly). Yet each has been able to carve out a separate and distinct brand within that same space.

The Power of a Good Tagline

Rachel Ray\’s empire is build on the foundation of her very emphatic tagline - \”30 minute meals.\” The name says it all. Sandra Lee\’s tagline is \”semi-homemade meals\” - preparing meals with the aid of pre-packaged ingredients.

It is essentially the same positioning, but without the exact time period that Ray uses. The implication is the same: you\’ll be able to prepare quality meals at home faster.

While both have been able to establish a sense of authority within the convenience field, interestingly, their authority does not come from industry credentials. The sense of authority they have been able to build comes from their unique personalities and presentation, as well as their individual stories.

They learned how to cook on their own, either because they had to (in Lee\’s case) or as in Ray\’s case, her mother was in the food service business, and an avid cook

Leveraging a Brand Into Multiple Products

Both have been been able to leverage their brands to create and promote multiple products. Some of Lee\’s branded products include: Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Cooking, Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Desserts, Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Cooking II, Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Grilling … she even ventures into Rachael Ray\’s turf with Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade 20-Minute Meals.

Rachael Ray\’s branded product line includes cookbooks, such as 30-Minute Meals, 30-Minute Meals 2, Rachael Ray\’s 30-Minute Meals: Cooking \’Round the Clock, Rachael Ray\’s 30-Minute Meals for Kids: Cooking Rocks!, Rachael Ray\’s 30-Minute Get Real Meals: Eat Healthy Without Going to Extremes, among others.

And because both of their brands have been established in a highly scalable niche - home convenience, they have been able to easily grow their product lines beyond food, into the further reaches of home-making, on TV, in print, etc. (Lee actually started her brand in the home-making field and then went into food).

Unique Marketing Angles Within the Same Niche

In their products as well as in their shows, their distinctive personalities, look, and style etc. further differentiates their brands from one another. But the difference is built on a foundation of strong taglines that embody unique marketing angles within the same niche: 30 minute meals vs semi-homemade.

The lesson here is just because someone else may have established an authority positioning in a niche you want, doesn\’t mean you can\’t create a different, yet successful brand within the same space.

However attempts to copy or merely imitate a brand within a niche position will not only fail, it will mark you as inauthentic. You need to be able to take unique angle so you can carve out your own space within the niche you want.

Leon Altman is a Internet marketing consultant, copywriter and entrepreneur with 25 years of experience. For his free marketing ecourse, go to http://www.YourMarketingRoadmap.com . For his copywriting services, go to http://www.altmancopypro.com

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You are a small business owner and you think that investing in getting a professional logo design for your company would be a waste of your limited budget. We at Logo Design Works believe that could be a costly mistake.

In this modern day and age, there are 1000s of companies in any given market. All these companies are competing to capture the attention of the target audience and gain the all important sale.

On the other side of the coin, individuals or potential customers are exposed to a bewlidering array of \”brand noise\” day in and dau out. From the time they get up in the moring, till they go to bed they come in contact with 100s of brand identities. To cope with this \”brand noise\”, people have now evolved to effectively filter it out. This means that you need to have an identity that stands out from the rest and goes beyong just \”noise\”.

The starting point of any core identity is a good visual image of your company in the form of your company logo. This visual image or logo is like you hand shake to the world. You might have 4 seconds to grab your potential customers attention and your company logo is the first point of contact. It can either create a positive or a negative impression on your customer.

Investing a little now in getting a decent professional company logo design would always more than pay for itself. Ignore it and you could be kicking yourself down the line.

Jeff Marsh is a lead designer with Logo Design Works. He has more than 8 years of experience in helping small businesses create their brands.

For a Professional Logo Design for your company contact Logo Design Works on 614 917 2177.

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An artists statement is a statement of ideas and thoughts that describe your philosophy, vision, and passion towards your artistic creations.

Ponder over the following questions prior to writing your artists statement:

• Is your work whimsical, thought provoking, or edgy?

• Does it portray a series of stories?

• Whom or what has influenced you the most?

• How is your work meaningful to you?

How do you begin to write your artists statement? You could begin by writing a quote that has inspired you and your work, or you could create a strong sentence that summarizes your philosophy about your life and how art has changed your views on life in general. You could also include what type of style and technique that motivates you the most while creating your art creation.

Some artists have writers block when it comes to putting down their thoughts on paper. I would suggest that you start with words that best describe your art and inner thoughts then go back to edit them into definite statements. Most artists know and feel what they are trying to convey to their audience, however, writing it down becomes a huge task.

Personally, I believe your artists statement should be written by yourself because of the personal touch you would be able to provide to it. No one knows better about your artistry other than yourself. Your audience will get a feel of what your inner thoughts are and how you find this passion to be a lifestyle and not a hobby.

Make sure you arent using too many words that only artists would recognize. Express yourself while allowing your words to flow. You are expressing your passion; so dont feel pressured to become a renounced writer.

While being an artist is a rewarding career, unfortunately, there are people outside of this industry who would say it is a hobby. So, it is very important to express how you feel about your craft through your artists statement. Writing a one-page statement would be sufficient in getting your statement across to your audience, but if it runs to a page two, thats fine. Clearly, it shows your audience that you are vividly and precisely getting your thoughts across.

Your artists statement should be updated as your career inspires new direction and when there are profound events that have captured new inspirations in your creative vision. Your statement could be updated at the same pace similar to updating your rsum.

If youre still unsure how to get started, here are two excellent sites that have sample statements: www.mollygordon.com or www.naia-artists.org

Your artists statement is a very important tool. Take a block of time out of your daily or weekly schedules to create the type of statement that will allow your audience to understand how you began your journey.

About The Author

Yasmeen Abdur-Rahman, Virtual Assistant & Lifestyle Entrepreneur Coach, is the owner of a home-based business called The Brownstone Workshop. If you need your artist support materials (ASMs) professionally created and updated along with other administrative, ad hoc services, or lifestyle coaching, call on Yasmeen at (919) 319-6271, via e-mail yasmeen033@aol.com or via website: http://www.thebrownstoneworkshop.bigstep.com

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Tips on Brand Management for Small Business

You can\’t avoid branding, so make it work for you, not your competitors. Many business owners believe branding is only for the big guns, for major companies with large marketing budgets. People that run small and medium sized businesses often have a reluctance to invest in branding. But branding isn\’t about what you believe. It\’s what your customers and potential customers believe.

EWO Consulting can help you build and promote your brand to your strategic advantage. We have graphic designers in-house so we can start with a blank sheet of paper and support you throughout your branding journey.

Here\’s the secret:

In the hearts and minds of your customers, you have a brand whether you strategically create it and nurture it, or not.

Therefore branding is relevant to any business no matter how large or small.

So what is a brand?

A brand is more than a name - it\’s a perception in the market about what your company or products represent. Since the early 70s branding and positioning have been inextricably linked.

\”Positioning is not what you do to the product. Positioning is what you do to the mind of the prospect.\” Al Ries (1972; \”Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind\” by Jack Trout and Al Ries).

It\’s easier to understand branding and positioning if we work backwards. Every company or product has its position in the market. Your customers have their own perception of your position. For example, they might perceive you as:

o The established leader a strong number two

o The most experienced a new player with potential

o Good with small clients the biggest operator

o Premium quality cheap alternative

o Most reliable product best service support

o Stable and proven most innovative

The list is endless and it varies depending on the market you are in. Your company or product might fit in to more than one, but there\’s usually one element (positive or negative) that resonates in their perception of your company or product. It \’s a position that your brand occupies in the mind of your customer.

Is this perception rational or emotional?

Extensive studies in recent years have shown that most decisions we make are emotionally driven. We may be able to support them rationally, sometimes with amazing intellect and logic, but they\’re born in emotion.

University of Washington: \”Brain scan imaging supports the idea that every time you have to make a choice in your personal life, you need to feel the projected outcome of each choice - subconsciously or intuitively. You then make that choice according to the projected feeling.\”

Michael Newman, Creative Director of ad agency DNA and author of \”The 22 Irrefutable Laws of Advertising (and when to violate them)\”: \”Human decision making is emotional, spiritual, political and, perhaps least of all, rational. The truth is, we aren\’t really rational beings. We are more human than that.\”

It\’s worth repeating:

In the hearts and minds of your customers, you have a brand whether you strategically create it and nurture it, or not.

If you have ignored branding, for whatever reasons, then the good news is there is an untapped marketing edge you can explore in your business. For a business with minimal marketing budget and tight market, branding can provide a cost-effective edge over your competitors.

So is a strong product or business name important to good targeted branding?

Yes, a relevant and memorable company or product name is important to a strong brand. But so is almost everything else you do in your business. Anything that may affect the perception of your customer affects the value of your brand.

A simple but important key is to know the values and image you want your brand (company or products) to represent. It\’s surprising how many small to medium businesses ignore this basic step in building their business.

Then it is important that your staff, bank, customers, suppliers, competitors and alliances all have the same perception. Like most business principles, establishing and maintaining a good branding isn\’t rocket science. It just requires some focus.

Every business, no matter how small, will be a stronger business with the right approach to branding. EWO can help you quickly analyze your brand and positioning and work with you through the process of creating, re-aligning or building your brand strategy.

Kirrily Dear is the Founder and Development Director of Eyes Wide Open. Kirrily has worked in the field of strategy and research for the last 13 years. Her experience extends internationally to include North America, UK, Europe and New Zealand. She is a widely published writer in the field of business development. http://www.eyeswideopen.com.au/

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