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BRANDING YOUR COMPANY
Whether your company is comprised of one
person or 100,000, it represents a brand. You don't
need to be Nike or Target or Coca Cola to have a distinct
brand identity. In fact, no matter how large or small your
company, you must develop, nurture and market that brand
identity.
Effective brand marketing begins with some information
gathering. Begin by asking yourself these questions:
- Who are my competitors?
- How do I differentiate myself from the pack?
- Who is my target market?
- Why would a customer choose my product or service over
the competition's?
- What do clients value most about us?
- What are our customers' main concerns (price, performance,
reliability, service, quality, etc.)?
Once you've analyzed the information, you'll have a much
better snapshot of your company, its target market and its
core features.
Next, match your strengths with existing needs in the marketplace.
For example, a carpenter discerns the need for painstaking,
quality craftsmanship in the era of the "McMansion."
He capitalizes on that notion in his marketing materials
and successfully brands himself as the carpenter who
cares. You, too, can nail down the brand image you want
to project—then make sure it permeates every marketing
piece you produce.
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