Branding: The facts

Business Branding allows you to communicate the essence of your business to other people. Having a good brand identity can make your business stand out in your market and allow you to be more successful overall. There are several aspects of branding that you should explore:

Branding basics

To develop your brand image, you have to decide what your strengths are. Creating a brand can only be done when a unified message is transmitted by your company. You should therefore ask yourself what it is that distinguishes you from everyone else in your market, what your values are and what personality you want to express: Am I more innovative? Companies like Apple have founded their brand on creating new and design led innovations Do I have a specialised skill? Whether this is a specific market you can cater to or even consistent quality, this brand value can enhance your standing over time, building brand recognition as you grow steadily. Am I a good value for money? This is not the same as having a low price point. Remember, there are reason companies such as Tesco stock value, mid-range and branded products: people have their own idea about what something is worth and will buy accordingly. Branding based on value therefore should be done carefully, as a brand with a negative association will affect you as much as a positive one. Bear in mind that choosing what your brand is going to consist of is a difficult process - remember that you can get outside help to do this but it will surely cost. This is also important to consider when naming a brand legally and without copyright infringement - prudence now, may save you money in the future.

Brand management

The work does not stop once you have established what your brand will be. There are a variety of things you can do to engage in brand building:

1.Tell your companies' story

Communicate your brand through the use of a logo on things like packaging and stationary.

2. Continue to be credible and consistent

If you base your brand on your quality or value, don't change this and ensure that this brand is transmitted across all areas of your business. Make sure that the staff is aware of the importance of branding and that they play their part in promoting your company consistently

3. Reinvigorate your brand

Don't forget to keep your brand current in the minds of your customers. Even global brands like Coca Cola face dips in sales every so often, they battle this by either redefining the product and extending the brand (e.g. Coca Cola lemon) or using advertising to maintain awareness.