10 Branding Resolutions for 2013

1.  Identify a singular brand promise that you can deliver consistently and will differentiate you.

 

2. Find a point of differentiation that is relevant and motivating to your target and make it one that you can “own” and make yours and yours only. (Even a trait you share with your competitors can be conveyed in a unique way and owned.)

 

3. Build your marketing strategy as an extension of your brand strategy. Similarly your brand strategy is an extension of your business strategy.

 

4. Communicate your brand promise consistently across media platforms and over time.

 

5. Bring your brand promise inside your organization-through company culture, organization structure and incentive programs.

 

6. Make sure every employee and associate understands how their role impacts the brand promise.

 

7. Consider branding your process for project management or customer service. Branding the “how you do” can be more impactful and differentiating than the actual product or service you deliver (the “what you do”).

 

8. Understand that your brand is much more than your logo and your tag line. It is the underlying promise behind all that you do.

 

9. Monitor the ongoing relevance of your brand and cautiously and carefully modify it only when required. Too radical or too frequent modifications will not be credible and will result in confusion.

 

10. Think of your brand as your company’s spine not its face.