So many businesses around us pay very little attention to their brands. Some are under the illusion that to have a brand is a question of choice. As some have said to me, “Ed, I’m not ready for a brand just yet. I’ll let you know when I am.” What they fail to understand is that they have a brand, whether they want one of not. From the very first hour a person decides to put out their shingle, their brand also begins its journey. In straight terms a brand could be replaced by the word – reputation. Everything that your brand touches and everything that touches your brand affects it. Some allow their brands to grow and morph on its own – in other words do nothing and ignore their brand. Failing to define your brand leaves one uncomfortable reality – it allows your competition to define it for you. Once that happens it is very expensive to claw it back and change the negative perception of your marketplace. This is critically true if your competition is perceived to be the leader in your category.

Are you allowing your brand the freedom to flourish? Without a strategy in place, your brand is not properly positioned to take the high ground. To be the leader it rightfully deserves you have to takes steps to cut your brand free. Look for the restrained brand behind barriers such as:

• Weak uninspiring slogans
• Tired or unprofessional logos
• No brand values to speak of
• Multiple logos
• No local profile
• Just like everybody else marketing
• Uninspired sales staff
• Off brand employees
• Drowning in the sea of sameness
• You’re competing on price

To breadth fresh life into your tired brand, you have to get out there on-line and off. Make your presence known. Start building your expert profile. It’s time to come out from behind the mediocrity. It can’t be business as usual anymore. As the head of your brand you have to start showing your passion and spreading it among all stakeholders which include clients, employees and suppliers. Your positive attitude would be a terrific start. Nothing motivates a brand better than a passionate leader. People take notice and look for cues to react. There is nothing more satisfying than having your leads react the way you intended. When stakeholders get the message and deliver their business to your doorstep, your brand has succeeded in leaping the hurdles.

The one important message here is that once the brand strategy is in place, you have to continually nurture it. It can’t be allowed to grow on its own, it has to be guided. Getting it right is key to your brand’s success. There is no easy strategy, it has to be constant, consistent and contagious.

The logo is the brand
This myth confounds me the most. If the brand was the logo, then there would be no brand problems. Got a problem, change the logo and presto! problem goes away. Not so much, because the brand goes right to the heart of your company’s existence. It is the entire essence of your company.

Our people make the difference
You gotta love this myth. Companies that use this position, must believe that they’ve cornered the market on brilliant people. Not a chance that the competition ( that causes them grief daily ) might also have great people. This is a head-in-the-sand scenario.

Follow the leader
Here’s how this myth goes: all you have to do to be successful is to watch the leader in your category and follow EVERYTHING that they do. The theory (laughably) is that if they are that successful, mimicking them will have that success rub off on us. This myth relies on rudderless CEO’s who lack the passion and vision to lead.

I’ll get a brand when I need one
If only it were that simple. Got a problem – kick that pesky brand to the curb. Since you have a brand whether you want one or not, it’s hardly true you could walk away from it at will. This myth results in you ignoring your brand allowing your competition to define you – never a pleasant thing.

Branding is all I need
Wouldn’t that be nice. But you’ve got to spread the word and so marketing and PR become brother and sister to branding. Your job is to keep the family together. Nobody wants an only child here.

Branding pays off quickly
This myth leads to bad feelings about branding or the sense that branding doesn’t work. Elements of branding have an immediate pay-off and parts of it develop over time. Since there are several touch points to every brand, there are then several levels of success and buy-in.

Only management should care about the brand
It’s lonely at the top. Branding is no place for introverts. All stakeholders impact your brand so all stakeholders have a stake in it. Leaving all brand views to management limits the scope of your brand.

The brand is all about what you say
This myth sounds good but misses the point. Brand is about relationships and actions (what you do). Brands are build on how a company handles themselves. They take a leadership position and then live up to that promise. Say it, live it, promote it.

Brand promotion is expensive
That depends on what channels are used to build your brand. There two ways to look at expense. Time and money. Branding involves both to varying degrees. What is nice is that brand building takes place over time. You decide the fit and extent of strategies to accommodate your brand goals. There is no simple answer to this myth.

Branding is for cows
That’s bull! (cheap joke). I’m sure this where branding got its name. Out on the range, eyeing the brand on a steer spoke to the viewer of the reputation and organization behind the mark. Perceptions are drawn on the spot. If Branding is for cows then call me Betsy!

Another great brand move is acknowledging your customers and advocates at Christmas. Ending the year on a high note is very motivating while you’re moving into a new period. Looking back over the year appreciating those who saw fit to trust you and bring you business. Every year I put together something I think will resonate with this supporting cast of players. For the last several years, I put out a quality calendar of my water-colour paintings ( a serious interest of mine ). They were well received as most never had any idea that I painted.

This year I took my motivating slogan “Lead don’t follow.” and put it on black mugs and sweatshirts. I will wrap this package up and present them. I didn’t want to just put on my logo which would be more or less an ad for me, and instead put a motto that my supporters could definitely live by. Having gone through my process, they ‘get’ that statement in a big way.

It is not so important what you give, it is the appreciation you show for their support that counts. It makes your brand shine that much more in their eyes. It’s all part of the big package. If you’re in retail, you can offer customers back a percentage of their yearly purchases. This has the added benefit of drawing them back into your location as a premium customer.

The reaction this effort produces will immediately resonate with you. Nothing feels better than giving back.

Generating leads is all about who knows you. Not only knowing who you are but what their perception of you is? That perception is reality on the street or online. The challenge in nurturing your personal brand is consistency. Online, the other person doesn’t have the opportunity to know you face-to-face. I’ll use myself as an example. Look at my website and study my brand image. ( I’ll wait here and give you a few minutes. )

Alright then. You may have noticed that my brand palette is black, mustard yellow and gray. I have some free information available on the surface of my site and deeper into it. The language is straight forward and direct. I’m hoping that you as the reader find it engaging, no B.S. and friendly.

All of my marketing materials from my business card, brochures, display materials, different presentations for speaking engagements, my twitter page, blog and everything and anything maintain those same attributes. If you were to run into me at an off-line networking event, (or any other business activity) I’m the character all dressed in black with my logo and slogan embroidered above my breast pocket. My sleeves are rolled up and I try to reach out to whom ever i come into contact with, I try to break down any barriers and offer as much free advice as i can for that moment. I never hand out a business card unless asked for one. (Even if there’s a flurry of card passers in my midst).

When I give presentations, every slide has my company logo so that my audience never forgets who is in front of them. My podcasts have a audio cue and an opening and closing stating my brand name. EVERY touchpoint is important in creating and maintaining my overall brand. You cannot afford to have any loose ends.

It’s your brand, it’s up to you to define it. Taking it lightly, will cost you a fortune later trying to clean it up. The great thing is it doesn’t feel like work – I enjoy my brand image and positioning.

It’s time your brand got out from behind that inspiring advertising slogan and actually stand for something. A large part (and I would argue) the most important part of your brand is your positioning. Where can your brand take the high ground? What is your brand leading in? Are you the only something? Positioning is absolutely based on differentiation. I hear countless companies state things that don’t really make them different, but actually make them blend in. For instance, “our people make the difference.” Sure, you and a thousand other companies.
Or how about “we excel in service.” If your competitors are still around, perhaps they do as well.

Taking a position based on differentiation takes moxy. Not only does it take guts to take the high ground, it takes commitment to own it. By owning it, I mean that you have to live the brand promise in the position you take. If you say you will deliver that pizza in 30 minutes or it’s free, then you had better do exactly that. Your customers have no appetite for false claims. They will eat your brand for breakfast if you don’t deliver. Deliver and they will love you and reward you.

For your brand position to work it has to resonate with your customers. It has to speak to them. One of my customers, Suntrition, whose brand positioning is: “Leaders in small-batch, oral-dose manufacturing,” speaks directly to their target audience. Small suppliers in the nutraceutical products industry. While all of their competitors are seeking the large contracts and giving short -shrift to the little guys, Suntrition has chosen to specialize in small batch production. They are laying claim to this high ground. It’s working. At recent industry B2B trade shows, small batch suppliers flocked to their booth refreshed that someone actually values their business and is actively seeking it. They not only came home with hot leads, they are setting sales records.

The difference between a slogan and a positioning statement is that the slogan inspires and the position resonates and sells. It’s no reason that sales staff and management are rejuvenated when they actually develop their differentiator and take their branding more seriously. Now marketing truly has a story to tell.

The passing of Steve Jobs this week got me thinking of another iconic American CEO who was also loved by consumers the world over.

Before I reveal his identity, I have to say that Steve Jobs has been compared (this week) to Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, in their contributions to our modern lifestyle.

Steve Jobs I believe, surpasses these gentlemen because of a personal connection he had with his audience – the consumer. How many deceased CEO’s can you name that have had the general public laying wreaths at their doors? Not only do their customers not mourn their passing, they really aren’t aware they even passed. When the day comes that Bill Gates meets his maker, will he see the same outpouring of love? I wonder. For all that critics say about consumerism, you have to admit, even they were silenced this week. This is the epitome of a super brand, where both the corporate brand and the personal brand of the visionary are perfectly aligned with their buying audience.

The other American icon that I believe shares the same love that Steve Jobs has, is Walt Disney. He was an independent thinker, and he developed amazing things, ignoring those who thought he was nuts. Walt Disney’s passing was met with the same level of sadness and admiration for his achievements. We need visionaries like Walt and Steve to help us rise about the mediocre.

Take a look at your own brand. If you passed away tonight, would your customers miss you? Could they replace you easily? If so, what do you have to do to build your brand into something iconic with your stakeholders? Does your brand relationship change lives? Your brand doesn’t have to be as massive as Steve, or Walt’s to resonate with stake holders. You only have to make your passion contagious and provide an experience that makes it a pleasure to interact with you.

Maybe the next Steve Jobs or Walt Disney is you!