Branding is an interesting thing. If you are a marketing major, you may have a better grasp on exactly what a brand is and is not, but for the average jane and joe owning a business, brand is usually synonymous with logo or website. We tend to spend an enormous amount of time wanting an exact image, font, feel or color. Even then, we find a range of opinions and efforts when it comes to marketing ones business. Some opt for the cheapest way possible, using Microsoft clip art, Word or PowerPoint to create flyers, VistaPrint to create their business cards and cheap $1 logo advertisements to create the image that represents their company. Others opt for spending thousands of dollars trying to create materials and websites that compete with multi million and even billion dollar organizations.
The truth is none of these are your brand. Those items enhance your brand. But the truth is, the term “brand” or “branding” has taken on several different meanings. As a business major and not a marketing major, I don’t profess to be an expert on this subject; however, I do tend to work with clients to help them understand that their brand is ultimately how their customer will remember them. For a small business, this means your entire experience. How your company made your client feel is your brand. And that extends to your customer service, the ease of your transaction, the quality of your product or service and the image you use to identify your company all make up your brand. It’s how you distinguish yourself in your market and from your competitors.
So how do brands die?
- Unwilling to change with the times. When the times change, which they often do, you must reconsider your brand. Does your product/service still touch your customer base like it once did? Is there a way for you to keep up with, or better yet get ahead of the times? Don’t let your ego or nostalgia get in the way of changing or updating your brand when the time comes.
- You are your brand. If you are alone create your brand, it will die with you. Determining the sustainability of your business and your succession plan can help you begin to create a brand outside of yourself. Of course as a small business you will still represent your company, but you may find that expanding your brand will help keep it alive.
- Sales focus vs Branding focus. If you find that your company chases short term sales with little to no interest in your long term strategy, you will find that many customers will move on to the next company that catches their attention. Your company served an immediate need, but didn’t create a long term impression that causes the customer to recall your business once they need your product or service again.
- No relationship to your customers. Your brand is how your clients remember you. If you cannot find a way to connect to your customer and their changing interests, your brand will simply fade away. Not only must you consider the changing times as mentioned above, you must also consider how your customer responds to the changing times.
- Too many products/services. As a small business you can try to be known for too many things. This can convolute your brand as ultimately people won’t know what you do or who you are. Making sure your various product and service lines have an underlying purpose will help with this, as well as having a strategic plan to roll out new products/services in an effective manner. This helps your clients to understand that you are expanding and allows you the time necessary to put into each roll out.
Take the time to review your brand and craft how you can create an experience for your customer they will remember. The extra time you take in this area of your business can help to build your brand and reputation in your community and with your customers, creating lifelong customers excited to refer you to their network.
~JMJ
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