I’ve been following the BrandU emails for quite sometimes and I really find it beneficial for small time entrepreneur or anyone who is doing business and would like to make it big.
I will share one of the articles BrandU sent to my mailbox few weeks ago:
Are You Brand Worthy? Four Simple Ques*tions to assess your brand-ability by Kim Castle, BrandU®
[NOTE: Some words in this article may have been disguised to avoid triggering sp*m filters.]
Branding is a one hot topic, yet it is wildly misunderstood. To make things even more confusing, branding is often tossed in the same basket as marketing, which makes its application to an entrepreneur or sole-practioner even more unclear.
Are you wondering if you’re business is even worthy of the focus branding? Believe it or not, that’s really up to you.
While out speaking on branding, the question that I hear most is “How do I know if my business or service is brand material?” With businesses opening left and right, and more and more closing each year, I’m glad there are smart business owners open to understanding the issue.
If you’ve found yourself asking the same thing, don’t worry you’re not alone. Perhaps, this can shed some light.
At a recent luncheon, the same question came up again in a different way. I was seated next to an attorney whose sole practice focuses on elder abuse cases. He asked me in rapid succession (a manner that showed me he’d be great in court):
“Isn’t branding for businesses that make a lot of stuff?”
“Doesn’t branding apply if you want to sell a lot of stuff?”
“Isn’t branding pointless for my kind of business?”
Smiling, I fired back, “yes, yes, and… no.”
Yes, branding is most often associated with businesses that make a lot of stuff. Yes, branding is advantageous if you want to sell a lot of stuff. No, branding is not pointless, because every business makes something (or offers a service) and wants to sell it. Branding is about making your product or service known to as many potential customers as possible, consistently, with the most effective use of your time and mo*ney. Branding is about repeat business. Branding is about effortless referrals. Wouldn’t that be a benefit to ANY business, especially yours?
To help you gain more brand-worthy clarity, ask yourself the following ques*tions:
1. Am I really passionate about what I am doing with my business, service or product?
If not, is there something more you can be doing in it to turn your passion switch on? It takes an amazing amount of energy and persistence to make a business take hold in the customer’s mind. With more and more businesses competing for headspace, it’s imperative that you set yourself apart. If you are not cooking with the fuel that passion gives you, you’re missing out on a very crucial element that could mean the difference between thriving and closing.
2. Do I have a big vision of my business, service or product?
Do you dream of reaching lots of customers in different ways with your product or service? Do you see a way to deliver your product or service to an increasing number of people with less and less effort? Did you create a mindset or special approach in your field that can be delivered in a variety of mediums, i.e. speaking, books, audio CDs, consulting, etc? Do you envision moving beyond an hour-for-hour way of providing your service? All of these support a big vision. Not only do we begin from the inside out when approaching your brand, but also we create from where you will be in five years as if it is n*ow. Small vision does just that, keeps you small. The choice is always yours.
3. Is my product or service a real benefit to a lot of customers?
It’s important that you answer this one as honestly and openly as possible. I was very passionate and had a huge vision for a career as a mime (Yes, you read that correctly… a mime)! However, no amount of passion and vision would make people buy it on a large scale. Thanks to Marcelle Marceau, the mime card had been played out. You may find that being truthful with your answers will lead to branding even better products and services.
4. Am I prepared to surround myself with a team or the knowledge to accomplish the business success that developing my business as a brand delivers?
The plus side of being an entrepreneur is that you may wear many hats in your business. The negative side is that you feel like you have to! The truth is, you don’t! You’re an expert in your field and you need to honor that expertise by supporting it with a variety of other skill sets to make your indelible mark: logo design, copywriting, website design, your marketing plan creation and execution, and others. The important thing is that you realize… you’re in command… because it’s your ship! And being a commander takes knowing where you want to go, gathering the maps to make the journey, and the crew to make it happen.
If your answers to these ques*tions are yes, then you have the makings to develop your business as a brand. You just need the knowledge and process to do so. If you’re shaky on some of the ques*tions, find out why. Even if you ne*ver develop your business as a brand, solid yeses to these simple ques*tions will only make your business more successful and more enjoyable. After all, isn’t that we all want?
© Castle, Montone, Limited.
Brand Visioneer Kim Castle is an internationally known author, speaker and entrepreneur. Are you making one of the 15 MISTAKES THAT KILL BUSINESS SUCCESS? Find out and change it immediately for fr*ee .
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can. Simply include this blurb with it: Author and Brand Visioneer, Kim Castle teaches entrepreneurs and small business owners how to tap into the full power of their business – the power behind their brand. If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank ™ go to www.15mistakes.com.
