Your Brand - Your Reputation

There is a common misconception when it comes the definition of a "Brand". Your 'Brand' consists of experiences a customer can expect when they deal together with your company. That can be anything from your web-site and brochure, your office decor to the way you reply to the phone. Plenty of tiny businesses assume that branding doesn't apply to them and that it is only for the Nikes and the Apples. Reality check.... If you are not managing your corporate picture, who is?

Whether their first experience is through your web-site or the business card that you hand out at a networking event, that first impression is not you can get back. Professionally designed and branded promotion materials tell potential clients that you value your business and that you are serious about the product or service you provide. In this case, the perception is the reality. If your corporate picture is sloppy and unprofessional, why would anyone trust you with their business.

You ought to look at your branding efforts as an investment. What is the elderly adage?...You must spend to funds to make funds? Well the only thing more expensive than hiring a professional is hiring an amateur. You are lovely at what you do. If what you do doesn't include graphic design & promotion then put the mouse down and step away from the computer. often tiny businesses try to generate their own promotion materials. Most of the time, businesses and organizations fail to understand the true benefits of hiring a professional to handle their branding and promotion efforts. They say, "Oh I designed it on my computer and printed it in the office." That kind of behavior can destroy your company picture. It can destroy your brand and that has far reaching consequences. It can affect your ability to get new clients. It can affect your ability to charge the rate you are worth. It can affect your ability to have the business you dreamed of.

Just because you can..doesn't mean you ought to. By the same token, there's plenty of aspects of your business that you must manage. You can have the best brochure on the planet but in case you don't return your customer's phone calls, you won't keep that customer very long. Your branding efforts must be a balance between your visual brand (logo, marketing materials, web-site, etc.) & the experience that customer has when they interact along with your company. Make sure that experience is a lovely.