There has been an abundance of material printed lately about the importance of your brand. Some of you are very specific on the development of your brand and then focusing on what it takes to live up to it. Others of you probably don’t even think you have a brand. I think, to a certain degree, we all have a brand.
Now some us may not have a logo or a website but we all have a reputation. Isn’t a brand simply a way to describe what you stand for? It seems to me that our reputation defines our brand no matter how much it is marketed.
Think about the people that you know. If one of them asked you “what do you think my brand is?” My guess is that you would be able to provide them some feedback based on their reputation and what they represent in how they live.
Just as important is someone who has actually created a brand for themselves or their business. The question then becomes, “are they representing their brand?” If they have a good brand but do not represent it well, it will be difficult to build on that brand. If you are in the process of developing a brand, consider these things:
DOES IT REPRESENT THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE I AM PROVIDING?
Your brand needs to be representative of what you believe in and what you are trying to accomplish.
IS IT A BRAND THAT WILL BE EASY TO REMEMBER AND BE RECOGNIZABLE?
Your brand, including your logo, needs to be something that will be recognizable and memorable.
IS IT A BRAND THAT I CAN BUILD ON?
We all start small in the beginning so when developing your brand, make sure that it will continue to represent what you are doing as you continue to grow your business.
IS IT A BRAND THAT PEOPLE CAN IDENTIFY WITH?
This may be the most important concept to consider when developing your brand. People should be able to identify with your brand on a personal level. This will create interest and promote engagement into building a relationship.
In developing my brand, I wanted it to represent not only where I am going but where I have been. Most of the stories I have are related to either my family or the construction trade that I have been part of for thirty years. My company name “Building What Matters” provides a connection to the construction world as well as describes what my mission is – building what matters – people.
I find it fascinating when I meet someone for the first time and they keep looking at the logo on my shirt. I typically give them a few looks and then engage in a conversation about what I do and why I do it. Now you may think it makes sense or maybe you think it doesn’t, but in either case it allows me to tell my story and describe why I am passionate about building up the people around me.
Everyone has a brand of some kind. The real question to consider is “If someone to were asked to describe what you stand for, what you represent, what would they say?” I believe that what they say is your brand. So … what do you stand for?
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Barry Smith www.buildingwhatmatters.com 8/13/12 image by author
