Branding Right Out of the Gate

Every time you ask for a Kleenex instead of a tissue or order a Coke instead of a cola, you're demonstrating the power of branding. While advertising and marketing create awareness about your product or service, branding builds an emotional connection between consumers and your company.

This emotional connection can be one of the most valuable assets you build. It creates a market that believes in your product, zealots who'll tell others about it and customers who'll be loyal to your product as long as you continue to deliver on your brand promise.

So how do you build a powerful brand? There are countless books and seminars on the topic, but here's a quick primer of some of the essential building blocks.

Go beyond the surface. Yes, a creative, professional-looking logo, website and sales materials are important, but by themselves, they don't create your brand. They create a look people will associate with your brand. A successful brand must connect on a deeper, more emotional level to create long-term loyalty.

Become your company or product's brand. For many businesses, the entrepreneur should be linked to her brand to create a connection with her audience. Martha Stewart was a pioneer in this strategy, linking herself and her lifestyle to the promise of her products. Martha Stewart succeeded by establishing herself as the "living well" expert, with the knowledge to teach others and the ability to persuade them to aspire to her high standards. To do this, you must create a compelling reason why you're the go-to expert in your field. Strategies include publishing articles and books, hosting seminars or speaking at community groups, and positioning yourself as the expert the media should turn to for insights or comments.

Create a sense of belonging. Many consumers--especially women--need to feel that they belong. Jeanne Bice, founder of The Quacker Factory, successfully caters to that need. She sells her line of clothing on QVC and has created a community with fun rituals that foster a sense of belonging. She has hosted Quacker Cruises where she and her customers vacation together, and she suggests that women quack when they recognize another woman wearing her sweaters. Other examples of brands that foster a positive sense of belonging are Apple Computer Inc., The Body Shop, Harley-Davidson and Mini Cooper.

Have a social conscience. Studies have shown that all other factors being equal, consumers--especially female and college-age consumers--will choose the product they perceive to be more socially responsible. And rather than just sponsoring a community event or donating products to charity, consider building a social component into your brand. Once again, The Body Shop is a good example. By weaving an environmentally conscious approach into everything the company did from the very beginning in 1976, The Body Shop was one of the first companies to build itself on the tenets of social responsibility. Other well-known brands perceived to be socially responsible include Ben & Jerry's, Burt's Bees and Starbucks.

Create demand for your product or service indirectly. While advertising can help build awareness, it won't build a strong brand connection on its own. Editorial placements in magazines, newspapers or TV shows can provide a third-party endorsement that gives your brand credibility. And guerilla marketing strategies--like word-of-mouth and experiential marketing, which allows consumers to engage and interact with your brand--can be invaluable when it comes to building brand personality and a connection with your market.