Is Your Brand on Target?

by Liz Johnson
Times Business Contributor
liz@mountainviewmarketingllc.com

Your brand is your known identity as a company or organization. It is the essence of what your firm stands for—what clients, prospective clients, collaborative partners, colleagues, and other businesses and organizations think of when they hear your company name. Your brand represents your promise to your clients and prospective clients regarding what you do and why it is of value to them. It drives your clients to want your services or products — not just need them. Your brand connects you with the marketplace on an emotional level. Having a successful brand is critical to the growth and prosperity of your business.

A successful brand is:

• Engaging
• Effective
• Consistent

It is important to do a Brand Check-Up every six months to ensure that your brand is successful and working hard for you. Review all of your outreach components (mobile, online, and print ads, videos and commercials, marketing collateral, social media campaigns, website additions and changes, etc.) created during the past six months and ask:

• Do the value propositions or differentiating assets that set your company or organization apart from the competition come through clearly?
• Are the personality, tone, and voice of your firm consistent on all platforms?
• Are your branding color palette and font used consistently in all of your outreach?
• Is your brand building and leveraging the trust and credibility of your firm?
• Is your brand attracting new clients while retaining existing clients?
• Is your brand drawing top-quality employees to join your team?
• Does your brand tell your story accurately?

Remember that a successful brand is essential for a successful, prosperous business and doing a Brand Check-Up is a great way to make sure your brand is on target.

Published in the July 26, 2017 issue of Times Business.