Comments on: Should You Brand Yourself or Your Business? http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/ Small Business Branding and Marketing Advice and Commentary Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:07:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kevin Levi http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/comment-page-1/#comment-54232 Kevin Levi Sat, 19 May 2007 03:48:16 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/#comment-54232 Jay, I understand your comment and can certainly agree with your rationale. What I was trying to communicate in my opinion is the rule; I believe you are describing one of the few exceptions. How many Estee Lauder's are there out there today, and what do you think their marketing budget is? HUGE! My comments were/are very geared toward small business owners. Certainly we all aspire to be Estee Lauders, but the harsh reality is on 1 in ever 10 businesses succeeds; and one 1 in every 10 of those lasts past 5 years. Jay,

I understand your comment and can certainly agree with your rationale. What I was trying to communicate in my opinion is the rule; I believe you are describing one of the few exceptions. How many Estee Lauder’s are there out there today, and what do you think their marketing budget is? HUGE!

My comments were/are very geared toward small business owners. Certainly we all aspire to be Estee Lauders, but the harsh reality is on 1 in ever 10 businesses succeeds; and one 1 in every 10 of those lasts past 5 years.

]]> By: How To Guarantee Showing Up In Google | Small Business Marketing & Branding http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/comment-page-1/#comment-53927 How To Guarantee Showing Up In Google | Small Business Marketing & Branding Thu, 17 May 2007 12:45:30 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/#comment-53927 [...] You might recall the article by Kevin recently where he asked should we brand our company or oursleves. [...] [...] You might recall the article by Kevin recently where he asked should we brand our company or oursleves. [...]

]]> By: Jay Peterson http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/comment-page-1/#comment-53758 Jay Peterson Wed, 16 May 2007 12:07:21 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/#comment-53758 I agree with Dara. Many businesses have been successful even if they are branded by their name versus their business. Estee Lauder did it with her company. She expanded and had no problems using CLINIQUE, MAC and even BOBBI BROWN which was a name worthy of respect by itself. But everyone was expected to meet the standards of excellence that EL herself set. I agree with Dara. Many businesses have been successful even if they are branded by their name versus their business. Estee Lauder did it with her company. She expanded and had no problems using CLINIQUE, MAC and even BOBBI BROWN which was a name worthy of respect by itself. But everyone was expected to meet the standards of excellence that EL herself set.

]]> By: Kevin Levi http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/comment-page-1/#comment-52781 Kevin Levi Thu, 10 May 2007 18:27:16 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/#comment-52781 Ralf, Thanks for the kind words. I'm thrilled you like my writing! I just started with SmallBusinessBranding.com about a month ago. Maybe that's why you haven't seen me before. I do have 5 other articles posted on this site if you wish to review. I also have a monthly e-newsletter I publish called The Muckraker: Business Branding Made Easy. Let me know if you'd like to be added to my distribution list. Thanks! Kevin www.winningmessage.com Ralf,

Thanks for the kind words. I’m thrilled you like my writing! I just started with SmallBusinessBranding.com about a month ago. Maybe that’s why you haven’t seen me before. I do have 5 other articles posted on this site if you wish to review. I also have a monthly e-newsletter I publish called The Muckraker: Business Branding Made Easy. Let me know if you’d like to be added to my distribution list.

Thanks!
Kevin
http://www.winningmessage.com

]]> By: Ralf Skirr http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/comment-page-1/#comment-52562 Ralf Skirr Wed, 09 May 2007 17:30:55 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/#comment-52562 Hi Kevin, I enjoyed your article on business branding. I wonder why I never stumbled upon your blog before? Anyway, blog added to my bookmarks for further reading :) Hi Kevin,

I enjoyed your article on business branding. I wonder why I never stumbled upon your blog before? Anyway, blog added to my bookmarks for further reading :)

]]> By: Kevin Levi http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/comment-page-1/#comment-52366 Kevin Levi Tue, 08 May 2007 17:52:24 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/#comment-52366 Rob, Completely agree, especially with regard to the small guys that intend to stay that way. The point I was trying to make is simply that you need to think about your branding strategy at the forefront of your business planning process, not sometime down the road. For folks like you it might make sense to brand your name; heck, even your name and your business as you stated. Thanks for commenting! Kevin Rob,

Completely agree, especially with regard to the small guys that intend to stay that way. The point I was trying to make is simply that you need to think about your branding strategy at the forefront of your business planning process, not sometime down the road. For folks like you it might make sense to brand your name; heck, even your name and your business as you stated. Thanks for commenting!
Kevin

]]> By: Kevin Levi http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/comment-page-1/#comment-52364 Kevin Levi Tue, 08 May 2007 17:49:38 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/#comment-52364 Dara, good point and one I was hoping would come through in my article. I agree with you that my contention does not pertain to everyone. Thanks for chiming in. Dara, good point and one I was hoping would come through in my article. I agree with you that my contention does not pertain to everyone. Thanks for chiming in.

]]> By: Rob Kirton http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/comment-page-1/#comment-52283 Rob Kirton Tue, 08 May 2007 09:51:19 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/#comment-52283 Dan Some very well made points, and the choice is clear to those who are looking to expand their business. I don't intend to grow my business concern beyond that of a husband and wife team. There is precious little incentive with a distinctly small business hostile government in the UK (forget what the press ever says). Having said that, as proof of search engine optimisation skills, I obtain top place (on personal name) and first page results (on business name) for Google UK searches, a form of dual branding if you care to put it that way. As Dara stated, for people such as me, you are your own brand. Dan

Some very well made points, and the choice is clear to those who are looking to expand their business. I don’t intend to grow my business concern beyond that of a husband and wife team. There is precious little incentive with a distinctly small business hostile government in the UK (forget what the press ever says).

Having said that, as proof of search engine optimisation skills, I obtain top place (on personal name) and first page results (on business name) for Google UK searches, a form of dual branding if you care to put it that way. As Dara stated, for people such as me, you are your own brand.

]]> By: Dara Turransky http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/comment-page-1/#comment-52262 Dara Turransky Tue, 08 May 2007 07:08:29 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/#comment-52262 Your article makes some good points for those who intend to sell their business in the future, Kevin. I disagree, however, that using your name as part of your brand is a bad idea for everyone. Some service providers, myself included, build brand equity through our name so changing our company name could do more harm than good. You are your brand when you're the only employee of your service based business. As you add more employees, they too become part of the brand as well. Landor, Disney, and Girvin are all solid brands built by using the founder's names. Food for thought. Your article makes some good points for those who intend to sell their business in the future, Kevin. I disagree, however, that using your name as part of your brand is a bad idea for everyone.

Some service providers, myself included, build brand equity through our name so changing our company name could do more harm than good. You are your brand when you’re the only employee of your service based business. As you add more employees, they too become part of the brand as well. Landor, Disney, and Girvin are all solid brands built by using the founder’s names.

Food for thought.

]]> By: Kevin Levi http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/comment-page-1/#comment-52236 Kevin Levi Tue, 08 May 2007 03:28:21 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/#comment-52236 Thanks Dan. Good points. Thanks Dan. Good points.

]]> By: Dan Schawbel http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/comment-page-1/#comment-52218 Dan Schawbel Tue, 08 May 2007 00:54:35 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/711/should-you-brand-yourself-or-your-business/#comment-52218 You don't really have a choice in this matter. You are almost branded by your business. For instance, if you work at Microsoft, people already perceive you a certain way than if you work for Nike. Your brand, at a more executive level, helps build the corporate brand. Good post You don’t really have a choice in this matter. You are almost branded by your business. For instance, if you work at Microsoft, people already perceive you a certain way than if you work for Nike. Your brand, at a more executive level, helps build the corporate brand.

Good post

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