Branding is everything. It keeps customers coming back due to the association of a product with quality, quantity, price competitiveness, trust, or any other perceived virtue. Unfortunately, most people associate a brand with a tangible item…say a shoe with a swish on it or a restaurant with golden arches. In doing so, they are doing themselves and the individual businessman (or better yet, woman) a great disservice. Why? Because people are brands in and of themselves. When they do not properly build their brand and associate quality with it, they lose in many ways. Namely, in the world of commerce, they lose clients, customers, repeat business.

One way to effectively build one’s brand is through timely and appropriate corporate gifting. A few brief examples….

• Thank an employee for an outstanding job or a special event (birthday, baby, heck, one year of service will do it in this day and age). Result: you increase workplace satisfaction and build your company’s brand – or your brand as ‘boss’ - as one that treats its employees well. (After all, don’t we all secretly want to be featured in one of those ‘Top 10 Places to Work For’ lists. Of course we do! Free PR.)

• Thank a client for choosing you, or better yet, switching over to you from a competitor. This applies to just about any business: banks, insurance, mortgage, finance, realty…the list goes on. Result: Positive reinforcement for the client = brand equity and great word of mouth. Real-life proof: At my ripe age of 30, I have been told I need braces (help me!). I am considering a few orthodontists. Surprisingly, even to myself, the one dental office that sent a flyer in mail advertising a free iPod for new Invisalign users is on my call list. Just like Pavlov’s dog.

• Thank a friend, client, colleague for referring business your way. We’ve all heard it – word of mouth can make or break your business. Let’s go for the first option. Thank those who scratch your back. They’ll scratch it more.

And for a tad lengthier real-life example:

My husband and I bought a lovely house with the help of a very lovely real-estate agent. We were happy (with the service she provided), she was happy (with the commission) and we were all happy – well maybe just my husband and I - with the mention of a gift certificate for the store of our choice as thanks for our business. Realtor suggested we choose a store where we could purchase home furnishings or building material for the renovation we were about to do (purple walls, no thank you!), as Realtor would love to see her gift reflected in our beautiful new home. Lovely!

Considerate as always, Realtor wanted to drop the gift off to us personally rather than pop it in the mail. And so, husband and I moved in, unpacked, and started the renovations. Finished the renos, held a dozen dinner parties, repainted. Got pregnant, had baby, got pregnant again. Okay, slight exaggeration. After nearly four months of living in our new home and getting periodic emails from Realtor - “I’ll be stopping by soon with a little something :)” we were actually quite disappointed with the lack of sincerity and also with the fact that if ever said gift certificate did materialize, we never wanted to see a gallon of paint again, never mind park at the big-box store on a Sunday afternoon to retrieve it.

End result:

Finally, 6 months into our new home, the Realtor came by with a lovely bottle of wine and a hardware store gift certificate. A very kind gesture, but a bit untimely to say the least.

Moral of the Story:

The real–estate agent tarnished her brand (if she had ever bothered to build one). She would have been much better off using a pro for gift services for every house she sells. She could develop a number of gift options in varying prices ahead of time, and even have gift company include a small gift certificate. It would be stress free, done in the span of a phone call, and delivered the week the client moved in. And it would promote repeat business, not the opposite, as with us. We conveniently switched realtors when we sold said house. Not because of the gift or possible lack thereof, but because of the poor time management and lack of professionalism. If you can’t deliver a promised gift to my door within a reasonable time frame, how can I rest assured you’ll show up for the open house?

It comes back to the same old adage…quality branding equals business rewards. Make use of quality corporate gifting to reinforce and strengthen the brand you’ve worked so hard to develop. And while you think about that, I’m off to get my free iPod.

Laura Jayne McDonald is a young mompreneur and franchisor. Just shy of 30 years old, she is the proud mom of two beautiful girls and the co-founder and co-CEO of Two Blonds & a Brunette Gift Co., a celebrity-endorsed corporate gift and gift basket franchise.

You’ve done it! You have persevered through distraction and some resistance to reach the clarity you or your business had in establishing an authentic mission statement and vision statement you will grow with.

“What was exciting was that I had been given tools (the process) to help other people to develop purpose through a vision statement and mission statement. I deal with my staff on all different levels and help them with their mission and vision. The things I learned in this process are just part of me now. That was a real growing experience for me” said Rex Holt, pastor.

Stan Hakes, a leadership trainer shared,” One client I worked with said she felt scattered explaining her business to people. After writing her mission statement and vision statement she began to focus; she dropped six or seven previously used statements on her business and narrowed them to three or four key areas that fit together.”

So what is the next step in moving forward?

“The next step is to develop your guiding principle, an element that summarizes what you and your business are all about.” writes author Don Midgett, in Mission and Vision Statements: Your Path to a Successful Business Future. “A good guiding principle communicates the vision by capturing the essence of what your organization will be. Branding, the new buzz word, is an aspect of this step. Your guiding principle can serve as an effective motto that distills the attitude of you and your employees and sets your company’s image for your service or products.”

Important and authentic answers to the following questions can help prepare you to focus on your company’s guiding principle:

* What excellence or expertise do you (or your business) offer?

* What words or short phrases you can think of to describe what your business is and what you intend to do?

* What images or words do you want people to use to describe you or your business?

* Remember the way you and your employees feel about your service or product is the way your customers will ultimately feel.

“Your collective mission, vision and guiding principle needs to set a common destination” advises Midgett. “It is good to think through your mission and vision. Review and question your statements for clarity, to make the mission and vision clearly visible to you, your co-workers and others.”

Don Midgett, Author
Mission and Vision Statements: Your Path to a Successful Business Future
81 pages, is available in digital format (pdf) at
http://www.missionvisionstatement.com

Don Midgett is the managing partner for the GenesisGroup, helping organizations and leaders discover their full potential. Don specializes in workshops on mission and vision, strategic planning, and team building.

To begin your path to success, write your mission and vision statements! Need help? You can find it at http://www.missionvisionstatement.com - visit now - subscribe to our free newsletter, Mission Vision News, to learn more. Ready to go? Then purchase my e-book on mission and vision for one of the best business purchases you will make!

We all have symbols in our lives. As nations our flags and landmarks are two examples; as organizations logos or specific stories or situations may be symbols; and as individuals perhaps a picture, award or collectible fits this description. These symbols can remind us of our beliefs, of our loyalties, of our accomplishments and much more. Whether physical like a flag, symbolic like a story, or memory-anchored like a picture these can serve us in powerful ways.

None of this is new or revolutionary to you.

What may be revolutionary to you though is how we can use these symbols to our advantage as individuals and leaders.

Let me start with some examples.

The Rock. The picture at the top of this article is of a rock I received recently. The Rainmakers organization in Indianapolis recently began a tradition at their events where the leader brings a rock, and writes on it “Be More, Serve More” (a part of their mission and purpose). Then during the meeting all participants sign the rock. At some point in the meeting that rock is presented to someone in the group who has made a difference, lived the Rainmaker’s ideals or is in some other way deserving of the recognition. Started as a way to reward and recognize without breaking their budget, it now is a powerful part of the organization’s culture. It also is a highly valued award, meaningful in many ways to each recipient.

The Bands. In anticipation of my new book Remarkable Leadership we had green rubber wristbands (ala the Lance Armstrong Livestrong bands) made that say “I am Remarkable!” We purchased these and give them to people because we believe in the message that people are remarkable and that they need to be reminded. I can tell you that, having worn one of these bands daily for nearly two months so far, it is a powerful reminder. While it isn’t a conscious reminder each time I look at it, I consciously notice multiple times a day and it reminds of that fact for myself and, perhaps for the point of this article, it reminds me in a tangible way of our mission at the Kevin Eikenberry Group – to help people reach their remarkable goals.

The Red Herring. Have you ever been to a meeting where the group got off topic? (Sorry for asking a silly question.) I had a client once who called those side topics red herrings – things that weren’t the real issue at hand. That phrase caught on within the team and soon someone showed up with a plastic red fish at a meeting – and dubbed it the red herring! The team decided to use the fish as a reminder of red herring topics – anyone could playfully toss the fish in the direction of someone if they thought a conversation was off topic. This gentle reminder has helped this team run more effective meetings for a long time – in large part because of a symbol.

The Stone. I carry a small stone in my pocket everyday to remind me of the importance and value my wife and family play in my life. Do I “know” that I love and value them? Of course I do. But this stone, this symbol, grounds me on a regular basis. I find myself holding the stone often when making a decision or thinking things through. This touchstone to the most important things in my life helps me make better decisions and think more clearly. It isn’t the stone itself that is helping; it is the meaning and message it signifies to me that makes all the difference.

We can draw much from these examples. First, notice how symbols can serve as a recognition or a reminder or both. As an individual if there is something that you want to be reminded of a symbol can be a powerful way to remind yourself. The symbol need not be elaborate or fancy (notice the stone example above), as long as the meaning and message attached to it is valuable.

The same is true in organizations – the physical representation doesn’t have to be glossy, shiny or valuable – a rubber fish or a retaining pond rock is certainly none of these. Again, the power comes from the meaning and message.

Does this mean that we no longer need to buy watches, plaques or awards? Not necessarily, but remember that the $100 or $500 plaque may mean nothing (or even be counterproductive to the intended goal). Have you ever or do you know anyone who received a plaque or recognition that didn’t value it for some reason? If so, the disconnect comes from a lack of meaning and/or sincerity and has little or nothing to do with the physical manifestation.

Symbols are powerful and can aid us personally and organizationally as we attempt to improve or move toward valuable goals. Use them wisely and sincerely and this underutilized tool could become instrumental in your future success.

Kevin Eikenberry is a leadership expert and the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. To receive your free special report on Unleashing Your Potential go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/index.asp or call us at (317) 387-1424 or 888.LEARNER.

Businesses are always concerned about building a brand so
they can easily and instantly be recognized by their
customers. One obvious example of how effective branding
can be is by looking at the example of the Coca Cola brand.
Visit almost any country in the world and it’s citizens
will know what Coke is and where to buy it. This is
because the brand has been heavily marketed in that country
or city.

You may not have the marketing budget of Coca Cola however
there are several inexpensive ways to build your brand. One
unique way is to get customized challenge coins built for your
organization.

Let’s first look at what brand means

Brand is symbolic of what your organization stands for. You
build the brand through your marketing materials such as
your logo, web site, stationary, etc. Challenge coins offer
a distinctive way to brand your club or organization.

What is a challenge coin?

This is a small coin or medallion that bears the emblem or
insignia of the organization or club it represents. Members
carry the challenge coin to show they belong to the
organization.

3 Ways Challenge Coins Help Brand Your Organization

1. Deep history

Challenge coins were originally used by the military to
promote morale and build camaraderie. This tradition has
been continued until today. Challenge coins are now used by
organizations outside the military such as law enforcement,
fire department, police department, rescue units, fraternal
organizations and even NASCAR.

2. High quality and long lasting symbol

A challenge coin is something your members can cherish
forever because it is high quality (metal) and can be passed on
to successive generations. This is in sharp contrast to the
temporary materials of your organization such as stationary
etc which is not as highly valued and easily discarded.

3. Uniqueness

Brand recognition is accomplished by the uniqueness of your
marketing materials. Creating a customized challenge coin
means it will be a unique symbol for your organization that
builds your brand awareness.

Conclusion

If you have already built your brand into the usual
marketing materials and are looking for something unique
that will make your organization stand out from the others,
consider a customized challenge coin. It will help build
unity, loyalty and integrity within your organization.

Frank Cassidy is the owner of http://www.UnitCoins.us, your online resource for
customized challenge coins

For those of you who are new to the world of business and don’t yet quite understand the whole concept of branding, as good a place as any to start is with how the American Marketing Association defines the word: “Name, term, sign, symbol, design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers.”

In simpler terms, branding is the art of creating a name for yourself that sets you apart from the herd. You want to not only strive to have your target market choose you over the competition, you want them to see you as the only one who can provide the product, service, feeling or solution they desire.

As examples, take a look at some wildly popular brands. What comes to mind when you think of tissue? Why, Kleenex, of course! In fact, Kleenex has done such a stellar job of branding that Kleenex has practically replaced the word tissue in the English language. Ditto with Windex. Do you need to clean your windows? Most people don’t say, “I need glass cleaner.” They say, “Hand me the Windex.” Then there’s Kool-Aid. Kids don’t say, “Mom, I want a glass of that powdered stuff you add sugar to.” They say, “Mom, I want some Kool-Aid.”

Can you imagine what it would feel like to have that sort of sway over consumer decisions? Heady stuff, isn’t it? Are you getting excited? Can you hear that money machine going ka-ching, ka-ching?

So maybe your product or service will never replace a word in the English language. I’m here to state, however, that shooting for the stars is the best way to assure that you will at least make a name for yourself, one that won’t be easily forgotten. To secure this exalted state requires passion, time and research (and perhaps a little luck) to make sure that the brand you choose perfectly exemplifies your company, its offering and its goals.

Can one successfully brand a small business? Absolutely. The leading example is probably Starbucks. Utilizing almost zero advertising over their first decade, they developed such a strong brand that their competitors got the shakes … and today are all pretty much just lumped together products in the Big Guy’s rear-view mirror. (And these folks are not closer than they seem or would have you believe!) From Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, “A great brand raises the bar — it adds a greater sense of purpose to the experience, whether it’s the challenge to do your best in sports and fitness, or the affirmation that the cup of coffee you’re drinking really matters.”

We all know that competition in the business world is stiffer than ever. Nevertheless, if you do your homework, if you create a brand that is strong, clear, concise, memorable and impressive, with a reputation to back it up, before you know it you will have customers knocking down your doors.

Okay, so maybe that was an exaggeration. Forgive me. I get excited about this branding fixation, but only because I know how well it works.

Now get busy creating! And holler in the direction of an experienced professional if you want some assistance in crafting your branding strategy. They know people, which means you’ve got people … which (with a nod of recognition and tribute) is H&R Block’s latest marketing campaign. That’s yet another company that’s done a wonderful job of branding over the years; where else does one get their taxes prepared? See? This stuff works!

My passion is words and their power to inspire and bring about action, leading recently to fulfillment of a life-long dream — launch of my own consulting gig (http://www.polishedimage.com). As an editor, I’m even more persnickety than I am as an administrator. I have run point on monthly and quarterly magazines, website launches, flier and brochure development, advertising “creative,” and marketing initiatives, as well as the more mundane writing of HR- and admin-related manuscripts, handbooks, annual reports, etc. I have also written a great many speeches that have been extremely well received. My background includes a journalism degree and a career principally in the nonprofit community. And all of that has added up to some “thoughts” on words, writing and business. Lee Cooke.

Business is becoming more and more competitive, and small businesses are the fastest growing segment within the business community. What’s going to set you apart from your competitor? One answer – effective branding! But that begs the question…. do you even KNOW what your brand is? Because it’s more than just your logo!

Your “brand” is the unique collection of values that your business brings to the marketplace. Your brand exists within the minds of your audience. In a small business, YOU are the brand. Your brand is a collection of components, including: your service, your office/retail environment, your “positioning” against your competitor, oh, and yes… your logo.!

What is the message you are trying to communicate with your brand? Following are three of ten “Branding Irons” that you can use to reinforce the branding message you want to communicate to your customers.

First, what’s on your answering machine or phone-hold message? This is a perfect opportunity to communicate to your customers the value of your product and reinforce to them that they made the right choice to call you.!

Second, do you provide jobsite signage? An excellent method of branding is for you to “toot your own horn” by posting a sign that says, “Materials provided by…” sign at each jobsite you serve.!

Third, when you invoice your customers, do you include in your envelope a page on the latest deals, promotions, customer events, or other special services that you, their partner, can provide to make their work or life easier?!

Fourth, host client events. Become known as the builders’ partner by inviting them to a breakfast, detailing everything from new building products to new building codes; educate your customers on the confusing details of home or auto insurance; provide your regular patrons with a “feedback” forum, where they participate in a survey-style interactive meeting to give you ideas on how to improve your products or service.!

If you are expecting an ad or two or a couple of networking events to close the deal between you and your consumer, you are akin to someone who would propose marriage to the first person you meet. It just does not work.!

Being true to your brand establishes in your customers’ minds the image of your business that you want them to have, and nurtures the relationship between you and your prospect, ultimately creating loyal customers and you as their brand preference.

Sarah is an entrepreneur with over 25 years of business experience. She is a successful marketer, fundraiser, educator and an accomplished trainer. During her career, she has held leadership positions in the traditional business arena as well as the not-for-profit sector. Her successful networking skills have helped her procure millions of dollars in funding for the charities she has worked for, and her tactical thinking has helped to develop strategic alliances in the communities she has served in.

Sarah is a well-known speaker, whose passionate and entertaining topics remind us that success comes from “Doing the Right Thing Right.” She is also an instructor at the University of Texas at Arlington through the Division of Continuing Education, and is an active member in many locak, state, and national civic and philanthropic groups. She is the host of a business radio show, “Think Zink – Changing the Odds for Small Business, which can be heard online at BizRadio.com, and podcasts of previous shows can be heard at http://www.SarahZink.com

The bright red of Coca Cola, the bull head of Chicago Bulls, the big arched “M” of Mac Donald’s - don’t you recognize them the moment you see? That’s the power of logo. Whether you’re in a competitive industry or not, whether your business is small or big it doesn’t matter! The fact is that your customers remember your business when they see your logo, regardless of how hard you try to convince yourself otherwise. A good logo makes not just a first impression, but a lasting one as well.

The symbol, the color, the font, the text, the size, the precision etc all count towards bringing the attention of your potential customers towards your company, and creating your company’s image and finally its brand. Get a custom logo for your business that best reflects your company’s spirit! It is very essential to choose what type of logo suits your company’s business. Most of the large international companies have pretty simple logos because research says not to overload the consumers with too much information. And yes a lot of research goes into creating these simple logos. Each of these logos has its own specific font and size, and exclusive color combinations that make them unique. Every single symbol and icon used together with the logo has a significant meaning.

But there are a few important things that should be kept in mind while selecting or making a logo for your company to create that recognition in the market. You have to create a unique and special icon together with your logo including your website or company name in that. A logo should have a peaceful combination of colors and not more than two or three colors should be used at a time. If you are hiring a logo design company then it is better to get it done by a professional logo design company with loads of experience. Before you take the final decision of launching your company logo you should test it once in a trusted circle. And last but not the least is to have a striking tagline to accompany the logo. The resultant logo should convey the right message to the people. You got to have an idea for the vision you want to create in the people’s mind. The key to the success of a company’s identity depends to what extent you can give your logo the recognizable look.

The graphics of your logo should be communicated purely in visual terms, to the right brain hemisphere of your customers. It should not depend on verbal or intellectual interpretation. If it is a word mark, it should be recognized by its form alone. For example, you don’t have to “read” Adidas’s logo more than once, to recognize the famous brand. The three parallel stripes mark became the worldwide Adidas corporate logo - a name that stands for competence in all sectors of sports throughout the globe. Think of the future and avoid being too trendy. A good logo will last your company 15 years and give your customers a chance to burn the image into their brains. Even with these tips, it’s important for a company to get outside help unless it has in-house designers who have experience with logos as well as the time to devote to the project.

Logo designs form the energy, the feeling and the passion of a business. It’s what makes us care. It is more than research and strategy. Good design is exciting - it shouts- it demands that you remember it.

Jennifer is an expert Internet marketing professional with years of experience in various industries such as: Business, Finance, Logo designs Real Estate, Web-Design, Health & Medicine and many more.

Brand building is for mega corporations. Right? Wrong!

The concept of branding has been hijacked by the so called marketing experts and turned into a mysterious world of ‘awareness quotients’, ‘recognition metrics’ and ‘focus groups’. As a result, many small business owners have come to believe that creating a brand is either irrelevant to them or beyond their budget.

It is time to take the idea of brand building back to its essentials and show that it is just as relevant to a small, local business as it is to a multinational corporation. The only difference is one of scale.

Firstly what is Brand? Brand is everything that your customers and prospects recognise and remember about your business; their overall perception of you. Yes it is about your logo, your colour scheme, the design on the side of your vans, or the style of your store front, but it is also about the intangible things like how your staff deal with customers, whether you have stock shortages or whether you deliver on time.

Everything you do and everything you display to the outside world becomes part of your brand. But why is it important?

In the same way that we form rapid impressions of the people we meet, we make similar judgements of the businesses we encounter, even if we never buy anything from them. Here are a couple of examples from my local area.

I recently moved to a new neighbourhood. Just down the road from my house is a cycle store. I have been planning to buy a bicycle but had not got around to going in. Late one night a car lost control and careered into the window on one side of the store. That was three months ago, but still for some reason they have not replaced the glass and the window is still boarded up.

I do not know why this has not been fixed, but what it suggests to me is complete indifference. If they can not be bothered to fix their store, what care would they take of me as a customer? Previously I had no particular feeling for their brand, but now I have a very negative perception and I certainly will not be buying my bike from them.

By contrast, in the next street, there is a butcher store, which specializes in organic meat. The storefront has a pleasing old-world style, the window is always carefully laid out, the meat looks tender and succulent and the staff are dressed in immaculate whites.

Just like the cycle store, I have never been in, but I have formed a very positive impression. Just from what I have seen, I believe that I would be served by friendly people who know what they are talking about; that they would sell me the best meat and even though it will probably cost much more than from my local supermarket, it will taste fantastic and will be worth every penny.

The butcher has succeeded in creating a strong brand image in my mind. So strong in fact that I am already willing to pay, maybe fifty percent more for the experience of buying from him and enjoying a high quality product.

Now it may be that when I do go in, the service might not be as good as I expect. They might be condescending about my lack of knowledge of meat cuts and the product may not be as good as I think, in which case, my perception of the brand will be tarnished. In other words, they still have the chance to get it wrong, but right now they are doing great.

So how is your brand? Does your store look inviting? Are your vans immaculately turned out? Do your staff dress smartly and behave appropriately? Is your name or logo, displayed consistently across your displays, letterheads, adverts and business cards?

Whether your brand is about high quality and high price or low cost, quick delivery, the important thing is your consistent support of the image you wish to portray. Do not try to be all things to all customers; choose your market and present yourself appropriately and remember, far from being the exclusive territory of major corporations, a clear, positive brand is vital for every business.

For more ideas on how to master the essentials of Small Business Marketing, take a look at the inspirational, self-study course; Small Business Big Ideas.

You’ll find this and have the chance to subscribe to my free Marketing tips newsletter at http://www.marketing-is-easy.com

Each week frustrated business owners call me, exhausted from their latest company naming marathon. They’ve spent dozens, (if not hundreds) of hours in valuable staff time churning out endless lists of ideas, suggestions, brainstorms, etc.

The results?

A hodgepodge of names with no rhyme or reason to them, little or no group consensus, a lack of matching domain names, potential trademark issues, and a looming deadli