Developing a Strong Brand


By Rebecca McClain


Unless you just don't have an appetite for fried chicken, or you've been living in recluse for the past few decades, the phrase "We do chicken right" should immediately conjure up the fast-food restaurant, Kentucky Fried Chicken. The reason you wouldn't think of Popeye's, Church's or Zaxby's is because that simple little tagline helped to establish the KFC brand.

As an entrepreneur, it is essential that you pay attention to branding as you develop your business, preferably as a start-up. Your brand says a lot about you and your business. It is much more than your logo, business cards and stationary. Creating a strong brand can help set you apart from the competition and lay the right foundation for the future growth of your business.

In this article we explore how to build a strong brand. What is branding? Although your logo, graphics and tagline are all a part of your brand, the most important aspect of branding relates to the customer experience associated with the brand. There must be a value-added connection, whether realistic or perceived. When a business delivers on that brand it creates a bond of trust, thereby making itself memorable and recognizable. I might be dating myself, but I remember when KFC tried to enter into the business of selling ribs. That didn't go over very well in the USA!

The questions to keep in mind when developing your brand are:

1) Who am I (me and my business)?
2) Why should someone do business with me?
3) How am I different from my competition?

Your brand should consistently communicate what your company does, along with the distinct images, attributes and personality. In developing my brand for Life Treasures LLC, my strategy centered around my mission statement. My goal is to help people discover the true value they possess within (gifts, talents and abilities), passion and calling, and to inspire them to unleash their potential. Out of my mission statement came the business name, products & services, logo and tagline. My brand is also an image of who I am and what I've discovered about myself. That authenticity is what I want to convey to my clients in building thriving, value-added relationships now and going forward.

What is your business brand and what does it say about you? Draft the essence of your brand using these points:

· Brand Purpose - a snapshot of what you provide to your target market.
· Brand Differentiation - things distinct about you that your competitors can't copy.
· Brand Personality - a collection of human-like traits and adjectives that describe your brand.
· Brand Promise -the confident expectation you give people to deliver on your purpose.

Creating a strong business brand will make your marketing more effective and efficient. Rather than trying to come up with a different marketing plan for each product or service you provide, your product marketing strategy will be tailored to your business brand. You won't be confronted with a conflict of having an image of ribs with a tagline, "We do chicken right!"

Rebecca McClain is founder of Life Treasures LLC, a life enrichment company. As an entrepreneur, author, speaker and life coach, she is recognized as an expert in personal and professional success.


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