Often times, the decision to conduct business rests on how a customer interprets your brand identity and brand promise,– a simple impression, comment, or action, perceived or real. She determines if your service or product is unique and provides the sought-after value. Without accurate articulation of your brand identity and promise, you may lose the advantage of uniqueness and potentially the sale.

What is a brand identity and why is it important?

Your brand identity is YOU, controlling all the elements that impact your company’s image, in a focused and controlled way to influence the customer. It is the promises you make to yourself, your business and potential clients. Keeping these promises will position you as unforgettable, unique and special, and form your brand identity.

Developing a brand identity is important because it impacts directly on your pocketbook and income potential. It also provides value by improving efficiency and effectiveness of your marketing; increases profitability potential; establishes competitive advantages, and builds company equity or worth.

What are 10 essential promises that create a brand identity?

• Position and Performance –- describing what your company does and for whom, and then outlining the advantages of retaining your services.

• Benefits –- presenting the client with the expected results each and every time and then over delivering.

• Traits/Value/Personality –- Determining what you want your company to be known for and then building your image around that personality?

• Segmentation, Differentiation and Added Value –- Positioning yourself in the smallest niche possible, and knowing your competitor’s activities and your customer’s attitudes.

• Relationship of Trust –- Creating and nuturing relationships through solving problems and giving.

• Loyalty –- Establishing a sustained buying habit based on a consistent and sustained relationship and product delivery.

• Brand Story –- Your personal or professional history that adds value and credibility to your brand.

• Association –- The physical artifacts associated with recognizing your brand.

• Community Services Responsibility –- Creating and fulfilling the framework of your social conscious.

• Customer Perception vs Reality –- Making sure you are who you say and believe you are is actually you.

The Brand Commitment

Your brand identity is a kaleidoscope of impressions: past and present, real and perceived, rational and emotional. Defining it requires a long term commitment and willingness to invest in understanding you, your customer and market. Rob Frankel, author of Revenge of Brand X, wrote “…Branding is not about getting your targets to choose you over your competition. Branding is about getting your prospects to see you as the only solution to their problem.” Peter F. Drucker said, “…The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself.” Creating a concise brand identity and promises allows you to develop products and services that sell themselves because they are relevant, distinct and memorable.

Without a definitive brand identity and promise, you will be lost in the global sea of competitiveness. Being different may be the determining factor in the decision-making process. Set yourself above the rest in your industry and reap the rewards of uniqueness by creating a brand identity and promises that get results and positively impacts your income.

Sharon Williams is the president and CEO of The 24 Hour Secretary, a full-service Virtual Assisting practice; a marketing coach, and author of Nuts & Bolts of Branding: How to Identify Your Brand in a Niche Market. Nuts & Bolts (http://www.the24hoursecretary.com/nuts-bolts.htm) is stocked with branding strategies, exercises and quizzes that crystalize your brand promises and separates you from competitors. Subscribe to her ezine Smart Business = Success, stocked with tips for busy professionals and visit her blog for up-to-date marketing strategies and other business tips, located at http://www.the24hoursecretary.com

The Internet can promote your services in unlimited relevant areas that buyers are looking for

Even when they both have a website, a service business (like window blinds) has to use the Internet differently than an online business does. For example, a chiropractor needs to provide different information a trucking firm, to supply what customers search for. While they both can benefit from Local Search exposure, what information they need to provide about themselves varies greatly.

Break down the limitations imposed by category thinking

We’ve been trained by the Yellow Page directory to look for a business within its primary category section. But Local Search allows a person to find what they want under many more descriptive terms. They can search for a sub-category, rather than a generic listing like "contractor". They’re able to find a narrowly-defined specific service or product - if a business has said that they offer it.

To be listed in the Directory, a business pays for each category where it appears. But a website has no such limitations. It can show numerous specific offerings - like Dog Training, Dog Nutrition, Dog Books, Dog Toys, etc. And it can promote each area to different buyers.

So your business benefits from showing up in Local Search results as many ways as possible. Go out of your way identify such specific, narrow topics. You might find yourself without any competition in such search results.

Studies show that people who search with specific terms are more motivated, and likely to buy "Minolta camera" instead of "camera". They’re ready to take the next step.

Categories that draw the most attention

Not all businesses rely to the same extent on their Yellow Page listing to attract customers. And I’m sure that will turn out to be true with Local Search as well. The following list shows which directory categories draw the most visitors. But if your business isn’t listed among the top, you’ve got even more reason to begin marketing yourself online.

Internet exposure can provide a powerful marketing boost for almost any type of local business. Whether you have a website or not, you need to assure that accurate information about your business gets picked up by every major search engine, and Internet Yellow Pages. I’ve found the most reliable way to do that is through Register Local, http://www.localsearchresources.com/register_local.html For a small annual fee they keep your business information updated and accurate on every online database that matters. And you don’t need a website, if you don’t have one.

Top Yellow Page Headings (in this order)

1. Restaurants

2. Physicians & Surgeons

3. Automobile Parts - new & used

4. Automobile Repairing & Services

5. Pizza

6. Automobile dealers - new & used

7. Attorneys/Lawyers

8. Beauty Salons

9. Hospitals

10. Dentists

11. Insurance

12. Department Stores

13. Plumbing Contractors

14. Banks

15. Veterinarians

16. Theaters

17. Florists - retail

18. Airline Companies

19. Hotels

20. Hardware - retail

21. Lumber - retail

22. Tire Dealers

23. Real Estate

24. Automobile Renting & Leasing

25. Pharmacies or Drugstores

26. Churches

27. Furniture - retail & non-specific

28. Grocers - retail

29. Rental Service - Stores & Yards

30.Carpet & Rug Cleaners

31. Appliances - HH - Major Dealers

32. Glass - auto, plate, window

33. Electric Contractors

34. Schools - academic, secondary, elementary

35. Contractors - General

36. Government Offices - US

37. Travel Agencies

38. Taxicabs

39. Sporting Goods - retail

40. Roofing Contractors

41. Dry Cleaners

42. Book Dealers - retail

43. Optometrists O.D.

44. Heating Contractors

45. Pet Grooming

46. Computers - dealer

47. Motels

48. Automobile Wrecking

49. Building Materials

50. Government Offices - city, village, township

51. Appliances - HH - Major - Service & Repair

52. Golf Courses - Public

53. Landscape Contractors

54. Home Improvements

55. Pet Shops

56. Pest Control Service/Exterminators

57. Automobile Body Repairing & Painting

58. Government Offices - state

59. Photographers - portrait

60. Electronic Equipment & Supplies - Dealers

61. Movers

62. Carpet & Rug - dealer

63. Motorcycles & Motor Scooters - Dealers.

64. Office Supplies

65. Videotapes & Discs - Renting & Leasing

66. Printers

67. Chiropractors, DC

68. Lawn Maintenance

69. Child Day Care Centers 70. Service Stations - gasoline & oil

71. Television - cable, CATV & Satellite

72. Locks & Locksmiths

73. Apartments

74. Air Conditioning Contractors & Systems

75. Nursing Homes

76. Transmissions - automobile

77. Air Conditioning Equipment & Systems - repair

78. Television & Radio - service & repair

79. Fence

80. Paint - Retail

81. Nurseries - plants, trees, etc.

82. Schools - academic, colleges & universities

83. Clinics

84. Plumbing Fixtures & Supplies - new, retail

85. Employment Agencies

86. Bicycles - dealer

87. Government Offices - county

88. Jewelers - retail

89. Painting Contractors

90. Towing - automobile

91. Windows

92. Newspapers

93. Bus Lines

94. Truck Renting & Leasing

95. Shoes - retail

96. Mufflers & Exhaust Systems - engine

97. Tree Service

98. Bakers - retail

99. Computers - Service & Repair

100. Mortgages

Source: Yellow Pages Integrated Media Association (YPIMA)

Expand your visibility, and credibility with upwardly mobile buyers

Your business is faced with two urgent tasks, if you want to come to the attention of Internet searchers.

1.) Get listed with the resources they go to, so you’ll be found among the results they get.

2.) Make sure your business information is consistent and accurate across the board. That’s where Register Local can save you a boatload of time and headaches. Don’t put this off because the Internet can bring you a steady flow of local buyers.

Copyright 2006 Off the Page

Dr. Lynella Grant Expert in communicating through Yellow Page ads and Local Search. Stand out online and offline. Capture more Internet-savvy buyers for your brick and mortar business. Free resources http://www.localsearchresources.com 719-359-5575

Product naming is a key aspect of branding. The name you ultimately choose will reflect who you are, your company’s personality and vision. But more importantly, it must unforgettably embody the promise of your product’s main benefit to your potential customers. It can dovetail generically with your competition, but ideally, it should stand out from the crowd. Where to begin? Here are some basic guidelines.

If the field’s too crowded, be unique

MSN Search, Netscape Search, AOL Search, they all stayed in the same category, so you could play it safe and go with Stupendous Search or Super-Duper Search. This works for a time, but as soon as the field gets too crowded, you’ll be lost in the mush of sameness with ever diminishing name recognition. If you’re in it for the long haul, better to break away from the crowd with a name like Google, Yahoo, or even Dogpile (though I’m not a fan of going into the scat category just to be unique). Even Kinkos—the founder’s nickname (he had kinky red hair in school)—is different enough to be memorable.

Avoid tongue twisters

There’s a little part in all of us that hates to be embarrassed. When we ask for a product or talk about it with friends, we want to sound literate and not fumble over pronunciations. So be kind to your potential customers and avoid tongue twisters, or any name that’s unusually long or foreign sounding. If you can’t find a single- word name, don’t go over two or three syllables.

Alliteration can help with longer names

Okay, so the president of the company likes all the longer names on your list. You can make them more memorable and/or easier to pronounce by using alliteration. Consider Circuit City (originally, the incredibly bland, monosyllabic, Wards). Or Downtown Disney, Or the most famous brand in the world, Coca Cola. All four syllables, yet they roll off the tongue with surprising ease.

Avoid abbreviations

Abbreviations lack personality and communicate very little in terms of benefit or brand character. Sure, IBM, MCI and ABC have big recognition and identity, but they also spent years and millions in virtually all media to promote their image—using images of people and situations that were warm and fuzzy. Even billionaire Bill Gates chose Microsoft over MS (which has some undesirable connotations).

Convey an implied benefit

If you don’t have a lot of media dollars to spend on name recognition, try for a name that conveys a benefit or describes content. Snapple started out with a name that combined two of its original flavors: Spice N Apple. Silk—the soy-based milk brand—combines soy and milk. Benefit-oriented names include EasyOff oven cleaner, Miracle-Grow plant food, and Hearthwarmer (a fireplace insert).

Lost in Translation…or worse!

Most of us have heard the story of Chevrolet introducing their "Nova" in Spanish- speaking countries. The car tanked because ‘nova’ means "doesn’t go." Fiat found they had to rename their "uno" in Finland, since "Uno" means garbage in Finnish. Canadian products require labeling in both English and French, which is why on some cookie boxes, the English phrase "without preservatives" has been unintentionally translated into the French "sans preservatives," which means "without condoms." ‘Nuff said.

Avoid fads

The shelf life of a faddish name is short and sweet. It rises to the stratosphere of recognition then nosedives into obscurity faster than you can say, “radical,” “tubular” or “outta sight.” Another problem with fads is they’re often limited to one demographic or clique. In a market as broad and diverse as the U.S., it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Protect your image

If you’re like most companies, you worked hard and spent some real money creating the image of your company. So it only makes sense to protect your investment with a product name that’s consistent with your existing brands and image. Rolls Royce had to pull the name of its newest addition to the Silver Cloud line, which they tentatively named the "Silver Mist," since in German, "mist" means manure. So build on what you have. A good example: Google’s entry into online shopping with Froogle. Incidentally, if you’re wondering where “Google” came from, it’s a variation on the math term googol, a huge number with endless zeros.

Don’t forget legal

Once you’ve settled on a few ideal prospective names, hire a good lawyer to make sure they’re not already being used and not confusingly similar to someone else’s in your industry.

Hopefully, this brief overview will help guide you through the subtleties of product naming. Remember, try to be unique and benefit oriented without being confusing or offensive. Avoid fads, abbreviations and tongue twisters. And, by all means, protect your image.

About the Author

Alex Kecskes is a former ad agency Copy Chief who provides a full range of copywriting services to agencies and Fortune 500 companies. He has created effective brand names and copy for brochures, mailers, multimedia, articles, newsletters, PR and web content. For samples and more information, please visit: http://www.akcreativeworks.com

Some people believe that hit exchanges are not good for bringing in free traffic. However I will disagree completely. In my own experiences I have had excellent results while using hit exchanges. The key is to use them correctly.

There are some assumptions you have to make when using hit exchanges, one that the people who will see your ad on the hit exchanges will be surfing only to earn credits towards the advertising of their own site. Number two the people will not read your long drawn out ad, there isn’t enough time, or interest.

If you are going to earn business from people surfing the web using a hit exchange, 2 things will have to happen to be successful, using this method of advertising.

1.) You must have an offer that attracts the viewers attention!

2.) The web page must be built for speed!

Starting with number 1. Most people find it hard to turn down a good offer. Try to offer something that has people interested, in hearing more like, Find out how you can get my product x; at an extremely low, low price. That seems to attract attention quite well. Giving something away for free is another great way to get people fired up about what you have to say.

Number 2 your web page needs to be built for speed. The thing to remember with hit exchanges, you only have about 20 to 30 seconds of exposure time to grab your viewers attention. So make the page short, and to the point. Lastly, I recommend that you put a picture on the page, a picture is worth 1000 words.(This will help you to keep it short)

Here is an example of a web page that I have built for speed. I have generated many on-line sales using this method of advertising.http://www.internet5kincome.com/science.html

You may have to adjust the wording, if you find that you are not getting the results you are looking for. This kind of web page works well, once you have everything right. From there things move into auto pilot!

Notice in my example the picture of the e-book. When I first had built the page I did not include the picture, after adding it my results were 100 times better. Also if you take note of the form on the page. When the viewer submits the information to the auto-responder, the auto-responder sends the E-book to the person’s email automatically.

There is still one more step to take. This step is my favorite, it can earn you a ton of extra traffic, so if you are interested pay attention to this. You already know that your new prospect uses hit exchanges! This gives you a golden opportunity to earn credits by referring them to other traffic exchange services. All traffic exchanges that I have ever used, provided me with extra credits, and even money for referring them to new clients. Although it should be Obvious, you need to send your affiliate links to your prospects to earn credits, and this step can be done using your auto-responder!

Psst, so what if I do not have an auto-responder? You can Get one free at http://www.getresponse.com

I am Michael Ditch, the owner of Internet5kincome.com web site. If you liked what you have read in my articles, or have questions about what you have read please visit my web site, where you will find many ideas and resources, on how to own and run a successful Internet home business. http://www.interent5kincome.com

Not everyone has the ability to spend millions on advertising and become a household name. Especially when you’re just starting out, but you do want customers to remember your brand first whenever they think about a product you make. So how do you brand yourself like Coke, Nike, Yahoo, KFC, or Dell? Here are 3 easy ways to put your brand in the minds of your customers.

1. Brand your small business online presence. Whatever your company name is, you should also have the .com name.

If you run a real-world brick and mortar location named say… Last Drop Coffee Shop, then you should also register lastdrop.com and lastdropcoffeeshop.com. Even if you just put up an informational website rather then selling coffee online, having the extra facet to your brand name can only help.

If you are a self-proprietor, or hold a position such as realtor or insurance agent. You should have yourname.com. Some companies may give you web space like companyname/yourname.com, but if you need people to remember your name then register it as a domain, and slap it on your business cards.

2. Get your small business on promotional items that people use every day. Giving out calendars, pens, notepads, coffee mugs, clocks, or calculators with your brand on them is a great way to be remembered. Most people don’t staple your business card to the wall, but a good-looking calendar can be in front of a customer 365 days a year.

When buying promotional items, think about the things you use often. Try to be different too, if you give out pens use high quality ones, not a cheap one that will get thrown away.

3. If you can’t tell the world about your small business, at least tell your neighbor. Look at your local market first. For the cost of putting your name in front of every person in the state, you could get your name in front of everyone in your town dozens of times, and repetition is the key. No one remembers the things they hear once; everyone remembers something repeated every day.

For the cost of one super bowl commercial, your businesses commercial could be played 20 times a day, for a full year in front of a local market.

There is an almost endless source of local marketing for your small business. Local newspapers, radio stations, phone books. Also check out more unconventional spaces. How about a banner on the left field wall of your local minor league team, or a press release in a regional journal.

When figuring out how to brand your business, try looking through the eyes of the customer first. Where do they look when they want your product? Do you sell something consumable, when will the need to purchase again, and what’s the best way to keep your business name in front of them. Be creative. Also you can find more information on your small business needs at Small Business by Emazin

Adam K has been involved in business advertising and marketing for 11 years, and has help businesses from fast food to fine dining and schools to social clubs make a name for themselves across the United States.

His small business site for articles, information, links, latest news and more can be found at. emazin.com/small-business

Back from a nice week in Devon, doing nothing except walk on the moors and lazing about. Couple of calls to the office – “Anything good happening?” “Well, it’s good you aren’t here” – and that’s about it. Didn’t even bother to travel 30 miles to take up the offer of a free lunch at Cornwall’s most famous seafood restaurant though, as this was compensation for a lunch I had there last year that pole axed me for three days with food poisoning, my non-attendance wasn’t 100% sloth related.

Arrived to find an article - “How to Write a Job Ad” – left open on my desk (rather pointedly, I thought) which was vaguely thought provoking, though things like “most are full of corporate puff and management-speak…fail to give detailed information…generally don’t get the people you want” were a bit too sweeping for me (and I hate all sweeping statements). Copy can be quite emotive, not least because it’s the one area of advertising that anyone can do – we don’t all know the media, we can’t all design, but we can all write – so we all bring our own opinions/pet hates to it. For example, there’s lots of things I don’t like; from “previous” experience (isn’t all experience in the past or previous?), “staff” as opposed to “employees” (I use a staff to round up sheep. Well, I would if I had sheep. And if I had a staff), “meticulous” attention to detail (you either have attention to detail or you don’t). None of these are likely to alter the response to an ad (which probably should be the test of whether any copy change is necessary in an ideal world) but I will still try and amend any of these, every chance I get, so the ad is done “my way”. To be honest, I can get a bit precious about my personal copy conventions (aka “he’s off on one again”), so much so that we actually have a little list of them that we refer to – hey, at least it ensures consistency. Though I like to think some of them achieve more than that – isn’t “attractive” salary a better sell than the rather dull “competitive”, isn’t “you” rather more personal than “the successful candidate”, isn’t “we thank all candidates in advance for their interest and would appreciate all replies by xxx” warmer than “closing date xxx”?

Anyway, back to the article where, after the ritual slaughter of almost the entire industry’s copy (“banal” was another description used), the authors laid out their modestly titled “Seven Golden Rules”, based on psychological research, to get to the people you want – “who are so busy being successful in their current job that they don’t have the time or inclination to read the recruitment section”. Ignoring the fatal flaw in this argument (if these successful people are too busy to read the recruitment section you could write an ad that could outsell the entire “Harry Potter” phenomenon and it still wouldn’t work, would it?), their rules were:

1. Be bold about job title, salary and location
2. Spell out what you want
3. Describe the job in detail
4. Use questions
5. Tell a story about why you are advertising the job but keep it real
6. Make applying easy
7. Fly your flag - put your logo in the ad.

On the face of it nothing much new there, although it was a shame that their own example of good copy for a sales position “you’ll be called in to clients when the door of opportunity has been opened, to provide the technical detail to close the deal” seemed to include the type of management-type speak they abhor and was too wordy - the one thing all clients dislike – because, for example, “you’ll use your technical knowledge to turn qualified leads into sales” says pretty much the same. In over 50% less words.

The idea of using questions (4) and telling stories, while keeping it real (5) are well known advertising techniques which, research shows, do boost response (questions involve the reader and make the process two way, while people do read stories). But I can’t think of many examples where questions can be, or are, used meaningfully in recruitment (interestingly, the authors don’t provide any examples) apart from the ubiquitous “interested?” just before the response details. Which, incidentally, is another of my pet hates – because if they aren’t interested, I’d like to know what they are doing reading the ad through to the end. Perhaps ploughing through ads of no interest is their sad hobby or something?

As for telling stories about why you are advertising the job, I have two issues. One, I’m not entirely sure that, if candidates see jobs advertised that they really want, they give a fig why it’s become available. And two, as a Golden Rule, it has the severe limitation that jobs only become available for a very limited number of publishable reasons – mainly growth or replacement (and, with the latter, you can’t, for example, advertise that you need a new FD because the last one was a total twonk), so I’m not sure how ad after ad repeating one version or another of these reasons enhances response to any of them.

Their other point about telling stories is that “recruitment sections read as if failure never happens so you should stand out of the crowd by talking about your failures as well as your success”. Hmmm. I can’t recall the world’s number one brand – Coca Cola – advertising much about the effects of all that sugar on your teeth (If any, of course – Legal Editor). I’m all for truth (or tooth. Ho! Ho!) in advertising but, in recruitment, think this should be limited to facts – which I’d have as a Golden Rule – and a description of the challenges or opportunities. Talking about your problems because “chances are, you want people who can handle problems. And good people want a job they can get their teeth (what’s this new dental fixation?) into, not one where the problems are all solved” isn’t particularly logical or realistic; I’d be interested to see if the authors could sell this “warts ‘n all” approach to any client, anywhere.

From my point of view, a recruitment ad is a little bit like riding down a few floors in an a elevator with your candidate – you only have a few seconds to make a favourable impression - so tone (friendly, personable), facts (turnover details, number of employees rather than “one of the largest”) and having a real selling point for the job are far more important than whittering on about the issues you face, asking questions and telling stories. I’m not that keen on their rule about describing the job in great detail either - a Marketing Manager knows what a Marketing Manager does most of the time without having every single detail spelled out as if for the hard-of-thinking.

Basically I’m still a big fan of the Price Waterhouse 1990’s research into recruitment advertising, just about the only objective work of this kind of which I’m aware. This found that candidates want straightforward adverts, giving facts, cutting out excessive jargon and glossy adjectives. That candidates get irritated by the over-use of words like “dynamic, pro-active, forward thinking, visionary etc”. That they get tired of “motherhood statements that tell us nothing”. That many simply find the text of advertisements hard to believe. And that popular stocking fillers like “growing, challenges, exciting opportunities” are not the winners any cursory glance at any recruitment section would have you believe. Quite the opposite.

They’re in fact seen as evidence of “mass corporate delusion”. Whoops.

Advertising Agency and Website Design Company London UK

After reading Law at Oxford, Kim qualified as a Barrister and then a Chartered Accountant with Arthur Andersen(!). He subsequently held several senior finance roles in advertising, including European Financial Controller of Ted Bates, before moving into "real" advertising when he became President and Chief Financial Officer of MDK Boston (USA) in 1988. In 1995, with Maria Manzo, he set up the UK office of BSA International — a USA- owned agency — which he ran until deciding to set up Giraffe where he concentrates on copywriting and new business. Kim, a former Oxford blue, has played Welsh league football and was once chosen to play cricket for Northern Nigeria.

Understanding Branding for Professional Service Providers

Branding. We’ve all heard the word. But what does it really mean for professional service providers. Whether you are a doctor, consultant, business coach or financial planner, YOU are the brand. Do you really understand how important YOUR brand is to your marketing strategy and business?

What is a Brand?

A brand it the way that current and potential customers feel about your service. What do you want your customers to think when they think about the services you provide to them? This is your brand. If your customers are not thinking and feeling what you want. Your brand is off the mark and its time to rethink your branding strategy.

Why should you create a brand?

Creating a good brand builds credibility with potential customers and keeps current clients coming back for more. The brand that you create helps guide the feeling and emotions that consumers feel when they come in contact with your brand . . . YOU. Your brand should communicate clearly who you are, what you do, whom you work with and why you are the best choice to provide the solutions to their needs. Your brand image should be unique, memorable, inviting, provocative and trustworthy.

What type of impressions do you leave on the minds of your potentials customers and clients? Every time you come in contact with clients and potential clients you leave a brand impression. Whether it is through direct mail, business cards, web site, telephone contact or any other marketing vehicle you are currently using . . . you are leaving an impression of your brand YOU.

What brand image are you leaving behind? Do the people who come in contact with YOU believe you are positive, trustworthy, credible, successful and knowledgeable. Do you know what image you are projecting?

How do you know what type of brand you have created? When you have created a strong brand, you will consistently hear the same responses when you ask customers what they think of your business. If your brand is weak, you will receive a variety of answers that are not headed in the same direction. Do you know what your customers think of your business?

Building your brand . . . YOU

Every contact with clients and potential clients is creating the brand for your business. Since you are the brand, this includes all contacts within your business and outside of your business. Every person that you meet will be branding you in their minds. It is essential that you maintain your brand on and off the job.

When building your brand you should understand that your brand is an experience. It is the experience that a potential client begins as soon as they come in contact with your business. Their decisions to do business with you. Their experience during the process of doing business with you and their experience once their business with you is complete.

The best way to begin building your brand is to think about all the ways that customers come into contact with you and your business. What ways do you meet current buyers? In what ways do you have contact with potential buyers after the initial contact? Once they become customers and after they are no longer customers. Once you have considered all the ways that you have contact with potential customers, take a walk in their shoes. What was their experience with your company like? How did their experience feel? Good, so-so, horrible? Did their experience coincide with the message you are trying to convey? In what ways did their experience differ from the message you are trying to convey? What can you do to improve the experience of your customers? Did you deliver a positive memorable experience that creates a solid image of your brand that will have customers coming back for more?

So how do yo go about creating the brand. You?

You begin by building trust and credibility in the mind of your prospects. Professional Service Providers must demonstrate to potential clients their expertise, uniqueness, credibility and successful track record. When creating the brand YOU in the minds of current clients, you must deliver above and beyond what you have promised.

Proving your uniqueness, expertise, credibility and successful track record to customers.

You should have a quality about your service that is unique to you. What is the one thing that you do that no one else is doing? If you are doing the same things that others are doing, what is the one thing that you can promote, that others are not promoting. This unique attribute is what you use to develop your brand and set yourself apart from other competitors.

Every time a prospect or client comes into contact with your business, they should encounter this unique quality. You must be able to clearly communicate this uniqueness to your market, this unique quality will tell customers about your business, reputation, commitment and service you provide. Everything about your business should speak to the unique attribute that you are providing to customers and the benefits that they will enjoy from this unique service.

Here are ways you can demonstrate your expertise and prove your capabilities and build trust with prospects that will help them decide to become clients and keep current customers buying:

1. Keep showing up

Every time potential and current client’s look up they should be seeing your name. Whether it’s though email, direct mail, advertisements, newsletters or postcards, you should be contacting your potential and current clients on a regular basis.

2. Writing Articles and submitting press releases

Your target market should be reading articles written about you and by you. You should be constantly educating your target market on the solutions you provide to the services that you need. Keep your name circulating by submitting press releases of current business news, awards received and special offers.

3. Providing Case Studies

Case studies show how you were able to solve the problem of a customer. You state the problem, the solution that implemented and results you achieved. This shows your potential and current customers that you are knowledgeable about their problems. Know how to effectively solve their problems and can create an outcome that they are happy with and willingly tell others about.

4. Client Testimonials

Have clients create testimonials for you that show how happy they are doing business with you, the services that you provide, and are willing to stake their name and reputation by providing a testimonial for you.

5. Saying thank you

When customers become a client, say thank you right away. Send them a note or email thanking them for choosing you to provide the services for their business needs. Let them know that you appreciate them choosing you and they could have chosen another service provider and that you appreciate their business and will continue to appreciate their business in the future.

6. Reward long-term loyalty

Take the time to reward long-term customers with royal treatment. Give them a discount, send them something special they will enjoy, add an unexpected special service. Get to know and understand your customers on a personal level. When you know your customers, you can reward them with a gift that is customized personally for them. Find ways to make long-term customers feel special.

7. Know your customers

Take the time to learn something of interest to your customers. It could be something as simple as a love of horses. When you come across something of interest about horses, take the time to forward the information to your clients. Learn their birthday and send a birthday card. Give them information and content that address their specific likes and needs.

8. Communicate with your customers

Find out what your customers want from you. Ask them their opinions, create surveys, and polls. Let them know that you are truly concerned about their needs. Ask them how you can serve them better. Don’t just ask them, implement some of their suggestions and show that you are really listening and care what they think.

When you take the time to understand your potential and current clients, you create a brand that is unique, trustworthy and credible. Take the time to decide what brand image you are trying to create. Think of the many ways you can ensure that your brand image is reaching and selling to your target market. Branding is an ongoing process. You must continue to check to see if your brand is on target and if changes need to be made. Take the time to make sure that the brand that you are trying to sell is the brand that your market is buying.

Jennifer Woodard is a freelance Marketing and Sales Copywriter/Marketing Communications Consultant. Jennifer can help you create marketing and public relations plans and campaigns, articles, case studies, white papers and more. If you would like more information, she can be reached at msjenniferwoodard@yahoo.com You can also join her monthly marketing newsletter group at http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/JustWriteMarketingNewsletter

Your catalog is designed with one purpose – to make people aware of the products you offer, and convince them to buy. Your printed catalog is your Advertising vehicle, a good one will drive your sales right to the bank.

An online version of your print catalog is highly recommended – the USPS reports that 55% of online shoppers shop with a printed catalog in hand. Cover these five areas with the help of advertising professionals who will design, photograph, write — and get your catalog online.

1. Product Photography

High Quality – poor quality photos diminish your credibility
Image Focus – whether sharp or selective, be consistent with your brand
Color – accuracy is a must and depends on paper, prepress, and printing
Consistency – of style regardless of type (silo, background, location)
Visual interest – all your photos should be interesting to look at
Space allotment – bigger is better, use as much space as possible

2. Product Copy

Balancing act – romance with personality plus descriptive information of product
Always benefit driven – customers want to know “What’s in it for me?”
Always credible – accurate, authoritative, helpful and informative
Targeted to the audience – know who you’re speaking to and use appropriate language
Easy to read and understand – readers don’t want to have to figure it out for themselves
Space allotment & size – consider brand, product being sold, and target audience

3. Page Layout

Product is focus – quick identification of what’s being sold
Price point visibly noticeable – especially if price is your niche
Clean and simple and easy to shop – readers usually don’t spend a lot of time
Consistent in format and purpose – all pages should look like they’re from the same brand
Space allotment – good design sense is key here
White space – rest for the eye is critical
Location of information/order form – make it easy for the customer to purchase
Overall print quality – must be consistent with your brand

4. Front Cover

An invitation – inviting the reader to open the catalog
Provide a taste of what’s inside – use top sellers
Point to purpose of catalog – is there a season or other reason
Focus on merchandise – you are what you sell
Convey company image – ALWAYS be consistent with your brand
Provide stopping power and reason to go inside – there’s a lot of competition out there
Highlight new products – especially if you carry the same items each month
Sell company services/policies/extras – sell your customer service right up front

5. Company Policies and Services

Guarantee – strong return policy visually evident
Make shopping simple – customers will go elsewhere if not
Ordering info – placed where easy to find
Web address – placed where it’s easy to find, and specify online services
Personalize and caring feeling – utilizing demographic information and purchasing history
Going beyond basic services – poor or non-existent customer service is not an option
Honesty and Sincerity – be your image. Don’t ever promise what you cannot deliver

Linda Lullie is co-owner of Inspired 2 Design, LLC – a full service Advertising Design & Production company specializing in Small Business Marketing Solutions. Free Consultation and Special Value-Added Packages for Start-Up Companies. Visit them at http://www.inspired2designllc.com

Article may be reprinted only with Author’s bio and links intact.

The lowly groundhog, often called a woodchuck, is the only mammal to have a day named in his honor. The groundhog’s day is February 2. Granted, it’s not a federal holiday and nobody gets off work. However, we all know about it and most of us check the news to see if the groundhog has seen his shadow. Consider how many of you recognize the name Punxsutawney Phil. Amazing, isn’t it. That’s brand recognition at its finest — it’s not even for a human.

Regardless of whether Punxsutawney Phil goes back into his burrow for six more weeks of winter, he gets his day in the limelight. So how can such an innocuous creature as a groundhog become famous? It is in the publicity, of course.

The right publicity can elevate even the simplest activity. In fact, the best publicity is actually very simple, clean, uncluttered and straightforward. Think about the messages that captures your attention or inspires you to do something (whether it is to buy a product, make a phone call, do some research or simply make a note about it for future reference).

The publicity made you think. That is what branding is all about. It creates awareness. Personal branding doesn’t need to be complicated. It needs to cut the clutter and get to your core message. What do you want people to remember when they think about you?

Last week when I wrote Bubble Wrap Branding, I got an incredible response from one reader about how my articles inspired. I’m sharing a portion of it with you as an example of how creating a brand can resonate with your audience (in my case, helping people improve their persona).

"I am so wowed by every newsletter from you! You always inspire me with your excellent content and message! When I get your newsletter, no matter how bad a day I’m in the middle of, it’s always a bright spot to read your message. I have been meaning to let you know that for a while, and always seem to let my busy day keep me from doing it, so today, right now, I am stopping to send you a reply and say thanks for your wonderful newsletter."

Now, turn this concept internally. Wouldn’t you like to have someone respond to your efforts like this? Not only did it make me feel good, it reinforced the fact that I practice what I preach. My personal brand captures my audience’s attention and appreciation. Your brand can do the same with a little effort.

It takes time to position yourself as an expert in what you do. Your positioning statement will change as you evolve. Start by deciding how you want to be identified or recognized by your constituency. Write it down. Work and rework your core message until if feels right. Then, bounce it off a few people whose opinions you value and see how it sits with them.

Branding is always a work in progress so do not be afraid to change your core message if it’s not capturing your audience. The important thing is to get started now. So don’t be like Punxsutawney Phil and run back into your hole for six more weeks. The sooner you get started the sooner people can find out about you and what you have to offer.

These tips and more come from the extensive library of personal branding tools developed by JoAnn Hines the Chief People Packager available in the "Packaging Yourself Workbook."

If you have a question or issue that needs an answer please let me know email packagingcoach@aol.com.

How to create an elevator speech; How to make most of those first 30 seconds or less; How to use networking to build your business; How to speak your way to fame and fortune; are all included in the Packaging Yourself Workbook Order now @ http://www.packaginguniversity.com/pkgustorefront.htm

To subscribe to the personal branding e-zine "Packaging Yourself" email me @ pkgcoach@aol.com

When selling yourself, be quick, direct, and get your point across in less than half a minute. We’re always on a hyper deadline. No time for small talk. Tell me what you have and let’s go. 10-second sound bites, three word emails, short hand text messages—speed of communication is king. You can either resist this fast pace and lose out, or make it work for you and watch it pay off nicely.

Small business owners: get to the point fast and then get faster. Give your unique selling proposition without fluff. If you have a janitorial supply company, skip the long description. Try this instead: “You know how sometimes there are bad smells coming from restaurant kitchens or smoky bars?—we fix those problems. We have fun finding cleaning solutions.” It’s quick, unique and memorable. And you haven’t wasted your prospects’ time. He is impressed you know your business that well and can convey a meaninful message that quickly.

Get noticed. Impress potential customers by knowing who you are and what you do. This isn’t your whole pitch, just the first one. Get it right now and you’ll have all the time in the world to build a profitable relationship with your new customer in the days and years to come

Betsey Duggan is the president and CEO of McMann & Tate Advertising, a midwest agency that insists its clients do all necessary to stand out from the crowd.