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Are You Brand Worthy?
Branding is one hot topic, although it is wildly misunderstood. To make things even more confusing, branding is often tossed in the same basket as marketing which makes its application to an entrepreneur or sole-practioner even more unclear. While out speaking on branding, the question that I hear most is "How do I know if my business or service is brand material?" With businesses opening left and right, and more and more closing each year, I'm glad there are smart business owners open to understanding the issue. If you've found yourself asking the same thing, don't worry you're not alone. Perhaps, this can shed some light. At a recent luncheon, the same question came up again in a different way. I was seated next to an attorney whose sole practice focuses on elder abuse cases, he asked me in rapid succession (a manner that showed me he'd be great in court): "Isn't branding for businesses that make a lot of stuff?"
Smiling, I fired back, "yes, yes, and... no". Yes, branding is most often associated with businesses that make a lot of stuff. Yes, branding is advantageous if you want to sell a lot of stuff. No, branding is not pointless because every business makes something (or offers a service) and wants to sell it. Branding is about making your product or service known to as many potential customers as possible, consistently, with the most effective use of your time and money. Branding is about repeat business. Branding is about effortless referrals. Wouldn't that be a benefit to ANY business, especially yours? To help you gain more brand-worthy clarity, ask yourself the following questions: If your answers to these questions are yes, then you have the makings to develop your business as a brand. You just need the knowledge and practice to do so. If you're shaky on some of the questions, find out why. Even if you never develop your business as a brand, solid yeses to these simple questions will only make your business more successful and more enjoyable. After all, isn't that we all want? Kim A. Castle, Co-founder BrandU?, Co-Author of Why Brand: Big Business Success No Matter Your Size, and BrandU? Bible, the only step-by-step workbook for developing your business as a brand. © 2004 Castle Montone, Limited Reprinted with Permission. About The Author Kim A. Castle has worked at several top-advertising agencies in New York and Los Angeles; including Grey Advertising, DMB&B, DB Needham, Kovel Kresser & Partners and Omnicom's Direct Partners. Wanting more creative hands-on with her clients, she started her own design firm Castle Graphics in 1991, which merged with Eagle Communications in 1999 to form the Los Angeles-based marketing and multimedia company Why Communications where she currently serves as Vice President and Creative Director. She has worked for such clients as; Digital Domain, DirecTV, IBM, M&M Mars, Gramercy Pictures, Kwontify Films, O'Hara Klein Productions, Entertainment Business Group, ,General Motors, Screen Actors Guild, Chase Manhattan Bank, Dominos Pizza, Pedigree/Sheba, Higher Octave Music, Disney Interactive, Baskin Robins and Blue Cross to name a few. She created the redesign and retail launch packaging of the million dollar-selling Hollywood Celebrity Diet, was the creative voice behind the award-winning website Concept:Cure for General Motors, created the marketing and packaging campaign for the Emmy winning short film The Question, Her exceptional feel for layout and concept, her outstanding ability to tell a story with words and visuals, and her innate ability to communicate the heart & soul of a project allows her to excel in brand identity, packaging, direct mail and marketing communications. Kim A. Castle, Co-founder BrandU?, Co-Author of Why Brand: Big Business Success No Matter Your Size, and BrandU? Bible, the only step-by-step workbook for developing your business as a brand. © 2004 Castle Montone, Limited Reprinted with Permission.
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Learn to lead by involvement on the board or in a special project.If you are a communicator by trade, try being treasurer for the group to exercise the other side of your brain, or take on a special project about which you feel strongly.Generate media coverage about your brandAll that professional and community involvement will certainly lead to opportunities to leverage that involvement into news about the brand called you. And, of course, there will be promotions, new assignments, and awards at work, too. More opportunities to make headlines.Your achievements are of interest to local print, broadcast, and online media, particularly the business pages. In Charlotte, the Observer has a weekly feature called On The Move spotlighting someone in a new position. The Charlotte Business Journal has a similar feature called Moving Up. If it is a big enough move and your company won't do it, pay the estimated $150 to place it on BusinessWire or PR Newswire. 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Keep it mostly informational and limit the commercial material.Stay in touch, or renew old ties with friends, family and business associatesEveryone you know can be a brand ambassador for you, so stay in touch or reach out to those you haven't talked with for a while.Yet another reason for having a monthly newsletter that shares your expertise.The network of contacts you have built over your lifetime will be instrumental if you decide to start your own business, or change jobs.So, heed this word of advice: always deal fairly with people. One bad experience with your brand can negate 10 positive ones.Now, get out there and start branding. Branding Guru - Brand Identity Guru Branding Today How Do You Define a Good Logo Design? Everyone wants his company logo to be the best but how good is good? How do we define a good logo? Is it necessary to be colorful or an exquisite piece of art? Can a simple design work as a good logo? We are often in a dilemma. 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