| Ask any large corporations and they will tell you that | | | | problems, emerging technology in your market. Blog |
| their brand is one of their most valuable assets. So, as | | | | also provide an opportunity to interact with your |
| a small business owner, why are you neglecting your | | | | customers. Update your blog frequently, at least twice |
| brand? Branding is the first step to differentiate your | | | | a week. Read all the comments and participate in the |
| products and services from your competitors. Now, | | | | conversations. |
| ever than before, it is easier to establish your brand in | | | | Don't be afraid to refer to your competitors if you |
| the market place without spending lots of cash. Use | | | | cannot solve the problem. You should be open and tell |
| the seven step formula to brand your business this | | | | the truth to earn trusts of your customers. |
| year to reap benefits for years to come. | | | | 5. Use Social Media. This one is a must in today's |
| 1. Assess What the Market Thinks About Your | | | | socially connected world through the web. Tap into |
| Current Brand. Ask your customers why they | | | | Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and LinkedIn. Use |
| selected your products and services over your | | | | the social interactions happening in the social media |
| competitors. You can accomplish this step by | | | | sites to reinforce your brand. |
| performing short surveys of your current customers | | | | Post interesting pictures related to your market, |
| after their purchases. | | | | business, products and services in Flickr. Create "how |
| The survey will reveal value propositions that you may | | | | to" videos and upload them in YouTube. Use YouTube |
| not be articulating properly. There may be hidden | | | | to market your brand if you have given a presentation |
| intangible benefits of your products and services that | | | | or your product is mentioned in the news and TV. |
| you're not leveraging in your existing marketing | | | | Even post the bad reviews of your products and |
| campaigns. | | | | counter those by giving your viewers with ample |
| 2. Define Your Brand. Write down an elevator pitch for | | | | evidence to the contrary or promise them to fix the |
| your business using the language of your customer. | | | | problems as soon as possible. |
| Don't use professional jargon or hard to understand | | | | 6. Monitor Your Brand. You can set up Google alerts |
| concepts. Address your customers' problems and how | | | | to monitor your brand for free. Or you can hire a third |
| your product or service solves those problems. | | | | party vendor to monitor your brand. They will give you |
| If your business is online marketing and search engine | | | | a report everyday if there are any mentions of your |
| optimization, your customers may not understand what | | | | products and services. |
| those terms and concepts really mean and how they | | | | These third party vendors scour the web, including |
| will benefit using your service. Instead, talk about more | | | | forum posting, blog posts and comments, product |
| visitors to their websites from search engines for free. | | | | review sites, a vast number of social media sites and |
| Your goal is to define certain qualities of your business | | | | peoples' comments on those sites to unearth good |
| so that your customers are willing to exchange their | | | | and bad mentions of your brand. |
| money for the values provided by your business. | | | | If you see a consistent pattern of negative mentions |
| If you can boil down the qualities of your business into | | | | of your brand, you know you have a problem and you |
| a memorable slogan, your chance of succeeding in | | | | need to address it immediately. Don't hide. Tell your |
| promoting your brand is vastly improved. | | | | customers that you're aware of the situation and how |
| 3. Be Consistent In Expressing Your Business Values. | | | | you're addressing the problem. |
| Relentlessly pursue expressing the qualities of your | | | | 7. Stay Focused. Branding is a long-term effort and |
| business at every opportunity your get - be that your | | | | you may not see immediate results within a month or |
| website, customer service, product packaging, blog | | | | so. Don't get frustrated and abandon everything. Your |
| posts, twitter messages, or Facebook statuses. | | | | brand will evolve over time as you introduce new |
| Don't change your business values depending on the | | | | products and services and economy recovers. If you |
| customers that you're currently serving. Don't be | | | | position yourself right now, your prospects will |
| everything to everyone. | | | | remember who you are and how you have helped |
| 4. Start a Blog. Blog gives you a platform to deeply | | | | them when they were in need. |
| discuss issues related to your industry, your customer | | | | |