Brand Components
Your brand is the culmination of everything about you and your business. It is how people come to know you. It is your business name, logo design or other symbol that identifies your goods and services. It's what makes you different from everyone else in business. What are some of the components that come to make up your brand?
1. Who I am.
Your brand is a representation of who you are, including your talents, gifts, needs, values, and integrity. Your talents and gifts are what allow you to develop the products and services you offer. Needs are what you need fulfilled to be your very best. As a business owner you may have a need to accomplish. Values are behaviors or activities to which you are naturally drawn ? perhaps creating or contributing to the welfare of others. Integrity is all about your thoughts and actions being highly aligned. What you think, what you speak, and what you do are consistent. Who are you? What are your most important values and needs? What talents are you sharing with others through your business?
2. How I act.
How you act is also a fundamental component of your branding. It includes everything that the public experiences when they deal with you. Your personality, your strengths, and your weaknesses are all parts of how you show up, whether face-to-face, on the telephone, or even through email. How you act is one of the most fundamental and direct ways that others get a sense about what is behind your brand. What do your daily actions communicate to others?
3. What I do.
The type of business in which you engage speaks volumes about your brand identity. Do you provide a product or a service? What industries do you serve? Do you serve people directly or do you serve other companies? How do you run your business? Are you a control freak, do you delegate or are you a solopreneur or an employer? How do you handle projects? Do you avoid them or do you readily engage them. Like your actions, all of these components provide others with a sense about who you are. What you do tells people what is important to you. What does your type of business say about you?
4. Who I know.
Your network of business contacts, the types of customers (demographic/psychographic profile) and the business organizations and associations to which you belong give others a sense of your business "come from place". Who you know immediately communicates to others who you enjoy being around and to whom you market and sell your goods and services. Who is important to you? Who do you spend time with and why? How is this influencing your company brand?
5. Where I am.
Your physical environment also communicates a lot about your business to others. Do you work from a home office? Are you situated in a business park or an office building? What about the inside of your business? Is it neat and clean inside and out? What are your interior colors and furniture style? All of these things create an impression of your business, who you are, and your attitude. When folks hear your name, all of these things will come to mind. What does your environment communicate about you and your business?
6. Where I've been.
To a certain extent you are a product of your environment. Where you have been is a reflection of who you are. Where have you traveled to? Where do you live? Your travels have exposed you to different thoughts, beliefs, ideas, and ideals. The things that resonate with you become a part of who you are and are expressed in everything you do. Where you have been tells much about where you are today and where you will go in the future. How is your past expressed in your business?
7. What I believe.
Your religious or spiritual beliefs often form your operating framework. What you believe in and how you perceive your place in the world play a significant role in the type of business you select, how you show up in the world, how you treat yourself, and how you treat others. Your belief system will either be one that places the power of choice in your hands or it will be one in which you are a follower. In any case, what you believe will show through in everything that you do. What role do your beliefs play in your business?
8. What I learn.
Where do you choose to put your life energies when it comes to your personal or professional development? What do you focus on to enrich your life? What do you enjoy learning? Are you concentrated on your hobbies, sports, reading, volunteer work, or other interests? We have a powerful choice to make every day as to what we will do with that day. What we choose to learn, where we place our attention is strongly expressed in who we are and becomes a part of our branding as well. How has what you learned influenced your business?
9. Where I'm going.
Where you are going is just as important as where you have been. Where we are going is rooted in our hopes, dreams and plans for the future. It is the vision we have not only for our business, but for the person we hope to be. Everything we do today is a stepping-stone for where we want to be tomorrow. Inherent in your business and in your brand are the seeds of what you wish your future to be. How people think of you today is setting the stage as to how you want them to think of you in the years to come. What are your plans for the future and how are these expressed in your brand today?
10. What I think.
What you think is the underlying core of all of the components that comprise your brand. Thinking is the point from which everything about you emanates. It influences who you are, what you do, your personal and professional network, your physical environment, what you believe, what you choose to learn, where you go and your hopes for the future. It is critically important to watch what you choose to allow in your mind as these things have an uncanny way of manifesting themselves. In a larger sense, what you think is who you are. And, who you are is your brand. What thoughts are you thinking and how are they influencing the perception of your brand?
© Copyright 2004 by Alicia Smith
Alicia Smith is a Coach and Trainer whose specialty is helping people Make Money Now. She has taught over 70,000 people how to improve their business bottom lines. To learn more about her courses, products and services please email her at alicia@aliciasmith.com or visit http://www.AliciaSmith.com and http://www.90DayMarketingMarathon.com
 Google News Updated : Sun, 07 Sep 2008 02:07:34 GMT Jenkins: Murray willing to play the spoiler - San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle - (09-06) 18:24 PDT New York -- Andy Murray must feel very alone just now. He's a long way from his native Scotland. He's carrying the hopes of British tennis, but the London press would really prefer him to be English. Federer beats Djokovic to reach US Open final Split stadiums for US Open semis ruffles crowd Publ.Date : Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:44:27 GMT Dodgers overtake first place - MLB.com
MLB.com - By Michael Schwartz / MLB.com LOS ANGELES -- Manny Ramirez's five RBIs propelled the Dodgers into first place in the National League West for only the second day all season Saturday after a 7-2 win over the D-backs at Dodger Stadium. Ramirez, Billingsley lead streaking Dodgers into first place Dodgers move into first place Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 23:14:26 GMT Palin and McCain’s Shotgun Marriage - New York Times
New York Times - By FRANK RICH SARAH PALIN makes John McCain look even older than he is. And he seemed more than willing to play that part on Thursday night. An Apostle of Alaska 'Sarah Palin Is Wasilla': Town Stands Behind VP Pick Publ.Date : Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:18:29 GMT Gates outacts Seinfeld in Back To The Future - CNET News
CNET News - Which is why Crispin Porter Bogusky, the agency responsible for the otherworldly new Microsoft TV spot featuring the clowning Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld, is already happy. Microsoft's Renewed Vista Strategy You Thought Vista Was Bad? Publ.Date : Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:01:52 GMT Report: Samsung working to acquire SanDisk - San Jose Mercury News San Jose Mercury News - AP Samsung was reported Friday to be considering buying Milpitas-based SanDisk, whose revenue has diminished and stock has plummeted in recent months due to the saturated flash-memory market. SanDisk Shares Soar on Samsung Interest SanDisk Shares Surge as Samsung Considers Acquisition (Update3) Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:19:13 GMT European space probe completes asteroid fly by - Reuters
Reuters - BERLIN (Reuters) - The European Space Agency obtained on Saturday the first images of an asteroid 360 million km (224 million miles) from earth, part of a space mission which scientists hope will help them understand the origins of the planets. Rosetta spacecraft takes asteroid photos Spacecraft flies by remote asteroid, camera stops Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:13:31 GMT Movies opening this week - San Jose Mercury News
San Jose Mercury News - By Mercury News "Burn After Reading" (R): The Coen brothers follow "No Country for Old Men" with a dark comedy about two inept gym employees who get hold of a CD-ROM containing a CIA operative's memoirs. Toronto Review: The Coen Brother's Burn After Reading Pitt Rocks to Madonna Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 20:56:32 GMT RSS For Web Pages |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... A great logo can help a business project a positive... Read More As consumers, we don't really think about the importance of... Read More Move over pop star "Posh Spice" Adams and English soccer... Read More Ever had one of those conversations where you wondered what... Read More One of the critical drivers of business success is having... Read More In this article i will explain how you can make... Read More I was asked today by a group of students; What... Read More The Federal Trade Commission has an obligation to the general... Read More Make A Bold Promise Then Back It Up With An... Read More Companies have been branding their collateral materials such as letterhead,... Read More Make More Money Making a Name for YourselfCalling all realtors,... Read More The number of complaints to the Federal Trade Commission on... Read More One of the prime motivating factors in the purchase decision... Read More When we initially started our businesses, we had to decide... Read More A rough guide to corporate identityThe tabloids report the millions... Read More The one thing that everyone has in common is that... Read More ...or Is My Brand Working?To measure the impact and effectiveness... Read More Branding is perhaps the most important facet of any business--beyond... Read More That cross-trainer you're wearing -- one look at the distinctive... Read More Over regulation of our free markets is stifling our growth... Read More An artist's statement is a statement of ideas and thoughts... Read More Many businesses of today are often driven to compete striclty... Read More Why pay a high priced PR agent when you can... Read More Consumers perceive and accept many brands within a certain trade... Read More Every Christmas Eve, a burglar named Santa busts into homes... Read More
Adsense
websites
How Much Is A Great Business Logo Really Worth?
The Importance of Branding - Can It Really Make a Difference?
Effective Public Relations Essential for Personal Branding
Self-Marketing: The I Focus
Quality and Service - Yeah, Right!
All About Branding
Speech on Branding from a Franchisor Founder
What is Private Franchising? It is Nothing Someone Made It Up
Simple Risk Reversal Formula Will Send Your Sales Into Space (2 of 2)
Corporate Branding ? Dont Forget Your CDs!
Standing Under the Umbrella And Still Getting Wet
Franchising is Virtually Fraud Free
The Trust Issue In Marketing
The Face of Your Business, Part I
Corporate Identity - A Rough Guide
Creative Branding Increases Sales Through Company Recognition
Measuring Return On Investment
Importance of Branding - Whats in a Name?
Brand Positioning - Brand Image
Could Ray Kroc have founded McDonalds in the Era of Sarbaines Oxley?
What is an Artists Statement & How Often Should It Be Updated?
The Top 10 Strategies for the Positioning of Success
10 Secrets for Free Media Placement
Brand Image - Brand Identity - Brand Strategy - Brand Identity Guru
Santa - The Brand
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Branding Your Business To Make More Money
Branding your comapny should be the first thing a company... Read More
Brand Equity Building - Measuring Brand Value
Measuring brand equity allows a company to establish a baseline... Read More
New Uniforms Could be the Gold Charm for the Golden Arches
New designer uniforms could be the gold charm McDonald's needs... Read More
Brand Building 201: Finding The Ideal Way
The strongest and longest lasting brands branch off of an... Read More
Brand Your Name!
Have you ever thought about branding your name? Does the... Read More
The Positioning of Success
Many businesses of today are often driven to compete... Read More
Boston Brand Building - Brand Identity Guru
"Make no little plans, they have no magic to stir... Read More
A Successful Failure
A successfully positioned business sometimes doesn't win a new client.... Read More
How Brand as an Intellectual Property has Led to Corporate Globalisation?
IntroductionGlobalisation is referred to as a set of profound material... Read More
Brand Building For Profit: The Colour Behind the Brand and Why I Wear Red Ties!
Colour is essential to building a strong brand.Many of you... Read More
Is It Legal? - Indecent Naming With Tradition
When Mitsubishi launched a new car with the name "Pajero"... Read More
Brand Image ? Brand Identity Guru
Having a brand image is not a "have or have... Read More
Simple Risk Reversal Formula Will Send Your Sales Into Space (1 of 2)
Make A Bold Promise Then Back It Up With An... Read More
Logo-ize For Instant Identification & Increased Awareness
The task of creating an indelible impact on the memory... Read More
Branding: What Not to Do
Here's a little story about what not to do as... Read More
Brand Value - Brand Identity Guru
Successful Guru marketers have a secret weapon that they use... Read More
Brand Image - Brand Identity - Brand Strategy - Brand Identity Guru
Consumers perceive and accept many brands within a certain trade... Read More
Planning Ahead With Your Designer: Tips For Design Consistency With Your Logo And Brand Elements
While we recommend that you contract with the same designer... Read More
Setting the Right Price
One of the ways people get to know you is... Read More
Entrepreneur Speaks on Brand Extension in the Franchise Cleaning Business
On question I have been asked over and over again... Read More
Value-pricing Strategy: Were not The Cheapest but...
In this highly competitive online marketplace, it can be difficult... Read More
Brand Lo-o-o-o-o-ve...
So... how have you been building your brand lately?Now, I'm... Read More
How Do You Define a Good Logo Design?
Everyone wants his company logo to be the best but... Read More
Importance of Business Branding
Branding is very important to a business, whether it is... Read More
The New Branding Awareness - A Value Based Concept
The new branding awareness is about when you take ownership... Read More
Branding |