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Why do small businesses skimp on the important foundations of their business plan?
Everyone knows that the foundation of your business is your company’s brand—it will be posted on everything from business cards to the corporate website, company letterhead to marketing campaigns. Without a strong foundation who will identify you over your competitors?
Large companies like Apple and BMW know the role a solid brand plays in the attainment of business success. I have had the pleasure to work for companies like Sears and Remax, both of which put serious efforts behind their brands and subsequently found success in their respective industries.
But I also have worked for companies that have not branded themselves or have failed to settle on one coherent brand direction. Those companies are still the same size if not smaller today. Companies that have formed a solid brand are much stronger with their customer relations and their employee foundations. Below are some objections I have heard over time and some solutions to branding your company’s foundation to reinforce your solid business plan.
1. “It cost too much”
Wow, and you want to start a company? There are costs involved in building a business, but the rewards are much greater. The brand is your first impression. It tells people if you are a trustworthy business, it is also something that your potential customers will eventually associate themselves with.
2. “I am not creative”
This is a easy one to fix. Choose a company to help you build your brand. Here at Rise Creative Group, our team of experts will interview you and ask an assortment of questions that will help identify what you feel, think and want your brand to represent for your company.
3. “I am just going to start with this logo I created using Microsoft Word and build one when I have more money and time”
Hmmmm…. Sounds like you are procrastinating. Is this how you’re going to run your business? You might as well turn on your TV and watch everything you have been Tivo-ing lately. Business can wait. So can that vacation to Bora Bora.
4. “I am going to build my company and then I will create a brand”
That is putting the cart before the horse isn’t it? How can you build a company? What foundation will you have to build off of? I am going to say it again, if you don’t have a solid brand — also known as a foundation — then what will people associate you with?Don’t forget that Rise Creative Group can help you solve this problem.
My list above can go on and on. Wouldn’t you want to be the Starbucks of your industry or the Ebay of sales? Don’t let your objections decide where the foundation of your business lies.
TALK BACK
Tell us how building your brand has helped your company succeed.
June 20th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
After stepping into the position of Marketing Director at Car People Marketing I determined that the critical element for our success was completely missing. There wasn’t a brand identity, there wasn’t a plan and there wasn’t a clear path for success. I had my work cut out for me.
There were thousands of campaigns we built and hundreds of proposals until we finally landed just the right one. Here’s the key- it shouldn’t stop there. We spent months developing and testing these campaigns so that we would be prepared for its launch. When the time came to deliver, we had everything in place and were confident in the results it would provide. What success! The campaign took off immediately and was generating an unbelievable amount of results.
Rise helped build our brand into the new website and that took it to the next level. We are now generating 2000% more leads and seeing more and more interest in the identity we’ve assigned to our company and its products. Our clients recognize our brand; they know our ads and can identify with our services quickly. This brand recognition and delivery is what makes us successful. It is critical.
June 23rd, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Josh,
I can’t thank you enough for the comment you left about the importance of having a brand. Watching your company increase its leads has been a great milestone. We look forward to helping your business grow even further!
July 8th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Hi!
I’d like to contact Mr. Frank Candamil to ask for permission to use his air balloon image on the Pixelgirl Presents website for my personal blog.
Could you please provide me with his contact information?
Thank you,
Tee