By Kathy J. Kobliski

media106@aol.com
(315) 487-6706
www.silentpartneradvertising.com

Branding is a contemporary term used to underscore all of the activities that successful business owners have been practicing for years. It is the process of building and controlling the mental image that your company name evokes, and how the public perceives the business. You must first decide in what light you want your business seen and then determine how to make that happen.

Often referred to as the intangible "good will" portion of your business, which has nothing to do with its location, real estate, or inventory, branding refers to your company's good name, logo, and its reputation for keeping whatever promises it makes to its clientele. It's what creates loyalty in your current customers and provides familiarity and comfort to encourage new ones. It demands respect in the community and if carefully tended, will be worth more in actual dollars than all of the tangible assets put together. Your brand is what will bring in the cash when you're ready to sell your business down the road.

What goes into shaping your brand?

-Advertising
-Customer Service
-Public Relations
-Your willingness and ability to make use of the Internet

· Advertising
For greater impact, keep your ads consistent and identifiable. Use a slogan ("Just do it," "Stronger than dirt," "Dude, you're getting a Dell") that can be easily remembered. When you can identify radio and television commercials from the first few seconds of music, a particular voice, or the delivery of the first few lines, those companies are doing a great job of branding through advertising - especially if the ads evoke positive feelings. Keep your ads honest and live up to your advertising messages. Disappointed customers won't return.

· Customer Service
Your employees have a tremendous influence on branding. Customers, who are treated rudely on the phone, or on your sales floor, will carry word-of-mouth criticism far and wide. Don't hire or keep employees who could care less about your business. Get every employee on board with your branding efforts, or get them out, even if they're related to you. It won't matter what kind of advertising you do to get people in the door and it won't matter how many come, if they're treated badly when they get there. They won't return and they'll keep others away. Make it easy to purchase and to return. Everyone must leave your store happy even if they were unhappy when they came in or became unhappy while they were there.

Remember that constantly looking for new customers is just running in place unless you're also working hard to keep your current customers. The idea is to constantly strive to add to your base without taking the base for granted. Indifference will bring you down every time.

· Public Relations
Tied into customer service in many ways, PR also can add speed to your business branding. Get to know the people in your community, join local business associations, and take an interest in what's going on around your business. Every contact you make within or outside of your business environment will either enhance or diminish your business brand.

·Your willingness to use technology
Have a Web presence to show your clients that you are on top of things even if you don't sell from the site. Lots of people in your market browse the Net for shopping or information and you want them to see you there. Use the web site for coupons or to let customers track an order, or to give them a day or two advanced notices of sales. Put your URL (web address) on your business card, letterhead, contracts, invoices, and ads. If you're not a computer whiz, call a local college or university and ask for the Intern Program Director. Apply for an intern to set up and handle your web site.

Your efforts to build your brand must be constantly tended over the years, as it needs to be expanded, changed, or even redeemed. Control what you can, when you can. Small breeches can be remedied and customer confidence reestablished. But restoring a severely broken brand is like trying to stop an elaborate maze of tumbling dominos. For example, will you be calling your broker today to buy shares in Martha Stewart Living? Or send your daughter out to buy Firestone tires for her car?

Credit:
By Kathy J. Kobliski
media106@aol.com
(315) 487-6706
www.silentpartneradvertising.com

BIO:
Kathy J. Kobliski is the author of Advertising Without an Agency (Editions 1 & 2, PSI Research), written for business owners who cannot afford to hire an ad agency. She wrote a monthly advertising column for entrepreneur.com for two years (2000&2001), and many articles for Sales Masterminds, The Canadian Women's Business Network, HomeOfficeMag.com, StartupJournal.com, among others. She has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger, Independent Business, Golf World Business, Switchboard.com, General Motors newsletter, BankRate.com, and in many other publications. She has worked in the advertising field for twenty-four years, the last eighteen years as founder and president of Silent Partner Advertising in Syracuse, NY.

Amazon.com link to second edition of Advertising Without an Agency:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1555715532/qid=1031331258/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-9755767-2295244?v=glance&s=books

Related Information:

NBA Benefit Provider - everyone.net

NBA Resource Article - If There's No Brand, There's No Business

NBA Resource Article - Branding For Productivity