| |
| |
|
WebsiteAlways |
|
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.
MORE RESOURCES:
Branding - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
When Search Engine Marketing and Trademarks Collide In the world of marketing, branding issues are always an important part of any campaign. Companies work hard for their name to be recognized as a quality organization and a leader in their field. Trademark Issues in the Mobil Auto Business There have always been trademark issues and lawsuits in the mobile auto service business. I know this because I own several such businesses. The New Branding Awareness - A Value Based Concept The new branding awareness is about when you take ownership of a commodity, a special talent, concept or product. What is it that you stand for? What you stand for is an experience that your customers feel from you. Branding Yourself To Increased Profitability Successful Realtors know the importance of branding their identities into the consciousness of the communities in which they live, like the big boys; Pepsi, McDonald's, Burger King, and other companies we know and have come to trust.Why is branding important? Think about it! When you want a soda do you buy an unknown off-brand just because it's cheap?Or, do you reach for a Coke? I'm a Pepsi guy myself, but you get my drift!And why do you do that? Because there's comfort in familiarity and you know what you're getting when you buy it. Branding Your Products Is Important I was chatting with a couple of friends, all of us are either copy writers or graphic designers?or both?.in the advertising industry, so, naturally, our conversations leaned towards the topic. Santa - The Brand Every Christmas Eve, a burglar named Santa busts into homes around the world, but he has never been charged with B&E. He has one of the best, most positive brands around and it continues to inoculate him against any hint of impropriety, as it has for generations. Brand Identity Guru - Is Your Brand Vital? The world is not waiting for you?or your product or service. Or your firm. Living Your Brand on the Web - Part 2 Now that everyone has conformed to Living Your Brand on the Web, Part 1, it's time to add a couple of tweaks that will further reinforce your brand.Tweak #1: Your Signature FileA signature file is the simple text that, once activated is attached to your email automatically. Boston Brand Building - Brand Identity Guru "Make no little plans, they have no magic to stir your blood.. Whats In A Name? When It Comes To Your Business, Plenty! Q: How important is the name of a business? Should the name of a business reflect what the business does or is it better to come up with something catchy and easy to remember? -- Randy P.A: What's in a name? When it comes to your business, Randy, a lot more than you might think. Shattering the Branding Myths If you've been online long, you're sure to have seen many "gurus" give their ideas about branding. However, much of what you read simply isn't true. The Face of Your Business, Part I When we initially started our businesses, we had to decide how we were going to market ourselves. Kind of an obvious statement - every business has to do that. Franchisor Policies for Unlicensed or Sold Territories Franchisors often have issues when they own a brand which has service vehicles; where franchisees wish to operate in non-franchise assigned territories. We had this as a re-occurring issue in our franchise system. Britney Spears Branding How would you like to sell as much in one year as Britney sells in one day or in one hour? Have you put much thought into how marketing empires are created? If you're selling anything then you're a marketer and you should study the biggest successes to follow in their footsteps.We've all heard of branding, but do you do it? Have you branded yourself? If you have, are you expanding your marketing opportunities with your brand?Once you've created a name, built successful marketing campaigns and gotten people to know and like who you and your company are don't stop there. Importance of Business Branding Branding is very important to a business, whether it is an online or offline business. Your brand will be the first impression the public has of your business and could very well be the most important one. Brand Identity Company - Brand Identity Guru Hiring a brand identity company is very important. In every marketing campaign, your company should have a solid brand identity on which to hang its hat. Top Eight Mistakes to Avoid When Naming Your Business Naming a business is like laying the cornerstone of a building. Once it's in place, the entire foundation and structure is aligned to that original stone. The Keys to a Great Logo Logo, graphic, icon, logotype, typogram, logoform, image?call it what you will, a logo by any other name is the group of letters and/or symbols used in a consistent and unique way to identify a company. It is the most prominent and stable element of marketing, and should be planned carefully to fully reflect your brand. The Very Basics of Design Design is a very subjective thing, therefore, if you ask me how to come up with a first class design for your marketing collateral or publishing mediums, it would be very unfair for me or anyone else to tell you what is a good design and what is a bad design. But there are certain elements and principles that we should look for in a design to determine whether the design and layout of the material will be able to carry the message across effectively to the readers and your potential market. Brand Value Plan - Brand Identity Guru Developing brand value is critical to every organization and when professionally executed, delivers a clear and measurable competitive advantage to your firm. It does so by helping you establish a positive connection and value-relationship with your customer, which, over time, will build brand equity and increase brand value.
|
| Interesting articles | Home | site map | Link |
| © 2006 |
