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Branding 101: Finding the True Purpose for Your BusinessTip! What makes Personal Branding different from Business branding is that we're connecting who you are with what you do in an unforgettable way. This requires that we move towards positioning your unique skills, talents, and super human traits that are unique just to you. What comes to mind when you think of a corporate brand? The Nike "Swoosh." A slogan like, "You deserve a break today." But branding is not just for huge multi-national corporations. Any company, even one-person outfits, can benefit from developing a recognizable brand. What is a brand, anyway? Quite simply, it is a set of positive thoughts and characteristics that other people associate with your company. It is how you want people to remember your company. Usually, companies try to distill these characteristics into a simple slogan or logo. This slogan/logo helps people make a connection between your company and the great characteristics you want them to remember. In order to build a foundation for your company's brand, you need to know the reason it exists, its purpose. You may think that any company's purpose is self-evident: it exists to make money. But really, making money is not the purpose for any great company, it's a by-product. In other words, great companies make money by fulfilling their reason for being. So, what is your company's purpose? In the constant busyness of doing business, it's easy to forget the reasons your company is here. Yet without clarifying why your company exists, it's nearly impossible to develop a brand that will resonate with your customers.
Here are 5 questions to help you work out the purpose your company fulfills: 1. Why was the business started? Did it spring from a passion for a certain activity, like camping or metalworking? Was it started to fill a perceived need in the marketplace? For example, several companies have recently opened that offer on-site computer repairs. They market to small businesses and home users with computer problems. Rediscover the reasons your company began, and you'll learn more about what makes it unique. 2. What need do you fill better than others? This goes to the heart of your company's expertise. Most companies can't do many things well; they need to focus on at most a small cluster of related activities. A company that works to its strengths can brand itself as an expert in that area. Most people would rather deal with experts, as opposed to companies that dabble in many different areas. 3. What makes you different from everybody else? This question focuses on how your company delivers your unique product or service. How do you distinguish yourself from your competition? Are your prices markedly lower than anyone else's? Is your warranty longer and more comprehensive? Differences like these create a unique profile for your company. The more you stand out, the more attention you get from potential customers. Tip! Personal service companies are generally small businesses and small businesses still have to worry about business branding. Just because your businesses is small and only has a few employees or perhaps you have no employees; this does not relieve you from your responsibility in building brand and setting your business apart in your local community. 4. What commitments are you willing to make? How will you make an impact in the lives of your customers, your employees, your suppliers? Do you offer the best salary in the industry? The most flexible work schedule? Do you have an iron-clad policy to always pay your invoices on time? Can customers call for technical service 24 hours a day? Make a public commitment, stand by it, and you will stand apart in your field. 5. What is the ultimate reason for your business? This is where you put together the answers from the previous questions. That should give you an idea of your company's purpose. Try to make a statement of purpose that is only one sentence long. For example, 3M's purpose statement is, "To solve unsolved problems innovatively." A purpose statement tells you, and others, what's most important to your company. It's important to know the purpose your company serves in the marketplace. Knowing your purpose is a big step towards presenting an image, a brand, to the outside world. Your company's purpose should be at the forefront of any branding you do, showing everyone your place in whatever field you're in. Tip! As every interaction with your public is a so-called “moment of truth” or, better yet, “moment of judgment”, the public knows when they're being burned by a hot poker; and they judge accordingly. A form of business branding is, therefore, created by you and your organization at every turn. Richard Jarman helps companies who experience frustration in getting their message across to their customers. He assists companies in crafting marketing materials that highlight their unique strengths and abilities. His goal is for all of his clients to have sales and marketing materials that work for them, that increase profits and build customer loyalty. See what he can do for your business by going to his website. While you're there, sign up for his semi-monthly e-zine, The Next Step. It's filled with tips and articles designed to inspire and improve your business. Sign up today and get a FREE copy of his special report, Essential Keys to Successfully Marketing to Business. |
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