A business without a brand is like being lost in the woods without a compass. Developing a compelling brand gives your business focus and direction, and enables you to target your ideal audience.
- Name your brand. Think of a catchy, easy-to-understand name that says something about what you do. It’s your hook, says Steven D. Strauss, author of The Small Business Bible. Are you the friendly orthopedist, the hip startup, the cutting edge guy or the cooking diva? Match your name with what you do.
- What’s your promise to your customers? It could be your reliability, great customer service or your friendly attitude. Work to become known for at least one trait.
- Define your niche. Who is your target market? What is the value you provide? “Trying to market to everyone who could possibly buy your products or services, will water down your message, and actually repel potential clients,” says Pamela Slim, author of Escape From Cubicle Nation. For example, Martha Stewart targets women and homemakers. Steve Jobs? The hip and cool computer user.
- Create a customer experience. Your customers will evaluate your brand by the entire experience they have with your business from the first point of contact. What does the experience you create say about your brand?
- Determine your unique selling position. What is your compelling argument on why a customer should buy from you? Ideally it should solve a key problem faced by your target market.
Read more about Building a Winning and Enduring Brand…
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So you now have your well-designed goals�fantastic! You aalso have your plan of action to achieve them�hooray! You even have yyour achievement-management system set to keep you on track with that plan-bravo!
What could possibly get in your way now?
Actually, 6,692,030,277 things (the world’s current population), or at least those people whom you circulate with regularly. Your associations are one of the most powerful influences (I will discuss the most powerful influence on Thursday) that determine whether you will stick to your goals or get forever derailed.
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