Your Brand :: What it is and how you affect it.

Brand. Branding. Building the brand. Brand equity. These somewhat vague terms have become common in business lexicons. Every good marketing meeting requires, at some point, a discussion of “The Brand.” But it seems to have become so wrapped up in business-speak that many folks aren’t even sure what branding means. Is it the logo? The company’s name? Maybe The Brand’s simply what the ads look like? It’s rare that something so critical to success is, at the same time, so misunderstood. It’s not a highbrow concept. Comprehending it doesn’t require channeling a Harvard business professor.

Branding is you.

Think of it this way and it becomes easier to understand. You’re known by your name (we’ll use ‘Joe’). In the same way, you know hundreds of brands by name. But you’re not just a Joe; you have a distinct personality and a great smile. Just like people, brands have personalities and distinct traits, and the more you know about particular brands the more individualized they become.

Let’s take this a step further. Regardless of your title in a company, you have a direct impact on the company’s branding. So let's use you as an example and discuss your very own brand…Joe’s Brand. You’ll see how branding becomes personal. Joe’s Brand is who you ARE – again, not simply your name – but who you truly are. It’s what people think when they hear your name or see your face. It’s the expectations they have of you based on the experiences they’ve had with you in the past.

Your attitude and your values, how you think and how you react build Joe's Brand. It’s how good you are at what you do, and how valuable you are to people. Your emotions, strength, dependability and consistency all supply power to your brand. Joe’s Brand is your entire identity: your appearance, the words you speak, the actions you take and the passion that fuels it all.

Now with that understanding, you can see that branding any business requires attention at all levels. Every encounter with customers or potential customers, every piece of communication – whether it’s an internal memo or a newspaper ad – right up to the company’s name and logo, must all work together to reinforce the brand.

Never forget for a moment: the brand is the single most important asset any company has.

 

posted 10-16-08