Small business marketing newsletter Through the Transit - Free ideas and exercises online from Marketing Hawks

B-R-A-N-D

January’s Insight

Brand forms the base of our triangle. Brand is the foundation your business is built upon in the mind of the customer. When you put a heavy load on a weak foundation, a crooked and cracked house is the inevitable outcome. It’s no different when building your business.

Brand is really your company’s identity. Think your customers pick up your company’s identity by osmosis? By that latest brilliant advertising slogan? Maybe, but like most small businesses, chances are that new customers learn of your brand from another customer or from one of your employees.

So, weaving a Brand Banner that customers and employees can carry around for you and then wave at the right time—for you, unsolicited—is an ultra-effective way for your small business to advertise. This Brand Banner must be easy to repeat and memorable. Your advocates will bear your Brand Banner because of the natural human inclination to share helpful information with other people.

Just remember, if you let that Brand Banner get soiled, ripped or grimy, then that’s the flag that’ll be out there flying for your business. Not the impression you want to make.

Brand isn’t your company logo, latest advertising slogan or catchy jingle any more than your best suit is you. The suit can improve your image, but even casual acquaintances will still recognize the you underneath.

January 2004 Volume 1, Issue 1

Welcome to this month’s issue of Marketing Hawks - Through the Transit. Each month we focus on one side of the Transit Marketing lens: Brand, Package or People. This month’s focus is: B-R-A-N-D January’s Insight Brand forms the base of our triangle. Brand is the foundation your business is built upon in the mind of the customer. When you put a heavy load on a weak foundation, a crooked and cracked house is the inevitable outcome. It’s no different when building your business. Brand is really your company’s identity. Think your customers pick up your company’s identity by osmosis? By that latest brilliant advertising slogan? Maybe, but like most small businesses, chances are that new customers learn of your brand from another customer or from one of your employees. So, weaving a Brand Banner that customers and employees can carry around for you and then wave at the right time—for you, unsolicited—is an ultra-effective way for your small business to advertise. This Brand Banner must be easy to repeat and memorable. Your advocates will bear your Brand Banner because of the natural human inclination to share helpful information with other people. Just remember, if you let that Brand Banner get soiled, ripped or grimy, then that’s the flag that’ll be out there flying for your business. Not the impression you want to make. Brand isn’t your company logo, latest advertising slogan or catchy jingle any more than your best suit is you. The suit can improve your image, but even casual acquaintances will still recognize the you underneath.
	Brand is similar to integrity—if you’ve got it, you can make errors along the way and still become very successful. Without it, you can look great and sound slick, but still fail in the end because you are essentially anchored to nothing more solid than shifting sand. This month’s Transit Marketing Exercise is designed to help you gain some basic insights into your brand.

*Page 2*
*Return to Top* Sign up for your free email copy at www.marketinghawks.com © 2004-2005 Marketing Hawks