I leased my new car yesterday and was making small talk with my salesman. He mentioned he started a new cleaning business, which was doing great. I wondered, "How great?" if he was still selling cars, but I understand building a new business is not easy.
I asked what he was doing to market his business, and he confessed that he hadn't thought much about it. He said he would think about that down the road.
I have run into this "marketing-last" sentiment before, and I am always amazed at how people undervalue the benefits of a good branding plan.
If you invest early in brand development, you will connect with customers, employees, and the general public faster, making your job easier (hopefully). Building a brand is a gradual strategy that happens over time, but it's never too soon to establish a good reputation by letting your audience get to know and trust you. A well-thought plan will help you avoid confusing your potential audience, help you keep the audience you have, and set you apart from the competition.
Great branding starts with a vision and developing your core branding principles from that vision. After that, new marketing ideas and strategies will naturally surface, and you will discover more ways to build a loyal audience. clinden@mychannelone.com
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