? What is your company's mission?



? What are the benefits and features of your

products or services?

? What do your customers and prospects already

think of your company?

? What qualities do you want them to associate

with your company?

Do your research. Learn the needs, habits and

desires of your current and prospective customers.

And don't rely on what you think they think.

Know what they think.

Because defining your brand and developing a

brand strategy can be complex, consider

leveraging the expertise of a nonprofit small-

business advisory group.

Once you've defined your brand, how do you get

the word out? Here are a few simple, time-tested

tips:

- Get a great logo. Place it everywhere.

- Write down your brand messaging. What are the

key messages you want to communicate about your

brand? Every employee should be aware of your

brand attributes.

- Integrate your brand. Branding extends to every

aspect of your business--how you answer your

phones, what you or your salespeople wear on

sales calls, your e-mail signature, everything.

- Create a "voice" for your company that reflects

your brand. This voice should be applied to all

written communication and incorporated in the

visual imagery of all materials, online and off.

Is your brand friendly? Be conversational. Is it

ritzy? Be more formal. You get the gist.

- Develop a tagline. Write a memorable,

meaningful and concise statement that captures

the essence of your brand.

- Design templates and create brand standards for

your marketing materials. Use the same color

scheme, logo placement, look and feel throughout.

You don't need to be fancy, just consistent.

- Be true to your brand. Customers won't return

to you--or refer you to someone else--if you don'

t deliver on your brand promise.

- Be consistent. I placed this point last only

because it involves all of the above and is the

most important tip I can give you. If you can't

do this, your attempts at establishing a brand

will fail