Branding is not just about your business logo. It covers and includes practically every aspect of your business including marketing, advertising, packaging, customer service and how you deal with your suppliers.

Branding covers every dot within and surrounding your business. The reputation of the owners, the shareholders, suppliers, employees, and even the customers all contribute to the brand image of the business. Every action that the entities involved in the business take, is contributing to the brand image of a company. That’s why it is important to plan every step carefully and take precautions, as every move you make will impact your brand image, either in a positive or negative way.

For branding to be truly effective it has to penetrate every aspect of your business dealings and no opportunity should be missed to enhance your brand further.

One of the ways you can enhance your branding is by being consistent. Consistency is a key to better branding. Take a look at all your applications and processes and see if your brand is promoted across the board in a similar fashion. Give the role of checking and applying your brand to one competent person, so that they can make sure that it is applied consistently across the board.

Chances are, not only will it be cost savings for you; you will also set one identity to your employees, customers and suppliers. When they see that one image, logo, management style and mission statement across the board, they will know it is you. It’s your business. It’s your company. The world will identify you with a common image, a common color, a common message or statement. If you change one or the other, not only will it confuse your customers, it will also be adding extra cost for you and your business.

To start your brand making process, try asking things like “what do we do in our company” or perhaps “what do we represent”. If your employees, customers or suppliers answer differently, then you have to investigate further on your branding. Why is it that people have different views about the business? Probably it was because you have given them varying representations about your business. In short, branding was not given proper attention and focus.

Consistent Branding

One of the ways you can enhance your branding is by being consistent. Consistency is a key to better branding. Take a look at all your applications and processes and see if your brand is promoted across the board in a similar fashion. Give the role of checking and applying your brand to one competent person, so that they can make sure that it is applied consistently across the board.

Chances are, not only will it be cost savings for you; you will also set one identity to your employees, customers and suppliers. When they see that one image, logo, management style and mission statement across the board, they will know it is you. It’s your business. It’s your company. The world will identify you with a common image, a common color, a common message or statement. If you change one or the other, not only will it confuse your customers, it will also be adding extra cost for you and your business.

Developing a Brand

To start your brand making process, try asking things like “what do we do in our company” or perhaps “what do we represent”. If your employees, customers or suppliers answer differently, then you have to investigate further on your branding. Why is it that people have different views about the business? Probably it was because you have given them varying representations about your business. In short, branding was not given proper attention and focus.

A proper brand will aid you when launching new products or services. Think about the Virgin brand and see how successfully Richard Branson has exploited it across his entire group of companies ranging from tourism, mobile phones, airlines and the train business.

Poor branding will hamper you at every stage of business development. Some new businesses struggle to make headway, purely because they had no strategy in place to maintain and develop their brand.

Take time to develop your brand and then support it fully across the full spectrum of your business activities. Branding defines the company’s strategy. It shows the world what makes you different compared to the rest of the competition. It sets you apart. That alone is an important benefit that a business can get from investing in branding.