Did reading that make you feel warm and fuzzy?

Did you imagine yourself as one of those happy people in a Coca Cola ad sharing a cool, refreshing Coke and some laughs with friends?

If so, then you've just made the Coca Cola people a few more dollars. Not directly, but indirectly – through branding.

Branding is image building. You can brand a person (yourself), product (soda), or service (dentist). Many large companies use image branding to keep their name in front of consumers and to create a positive image. They hope that when you're ready to buy their product, you'll think of them first.

Branding can be very powerful. Just look at this example:

“Ask for .. . the little purple pill.”

Now I'm not going to mention the drug company that sells the “little purple pill” but if you've seen their commercials, you know how attractive they make these pills seem.

In fact, they've done such a good job of branding this drug that people are going into their doctor's office asking for it – whether they need it or not!

Most small entrepreneurs need to “direct market” their products, meaning they must use their small advertising budgets to “sell directly” to the consumer. They don't do image branding because it's seen as a luxury they can't afford. But is it?

Have you ever thought of combining a little image branding along with your direct sales approach?

Let's say you've written some great direct marketing sales copy for your “brand X” widget and people are buying it. Then your competitor comes out with the exact same widget but sells it as “Fancy Brand X”.

Fancy Brand X also uses great copy to make sales, but in addition, it's being touted as “the brand you can trust.”

After a while, Fancy Brand X begins to sell more and more until they are number one in your category. While your plain jane brand X widget barely gets noticed. What's the difference?

Fancy Brand X had an image created for it that was promoted along with every sale. What is the public going to remember? Your no-name brand X or “the brand you can trust.”

Creating an image for your product or service and combining it with a powerful direct sales message, may just be a wise investment after all.