There are lots of awesome, cool things you can promise and deliver for every Tom, Dick and Mary, but lack of definition will cost you too much and delay your hitting the home run in the branding game. Sometimes you have to be monogamous with your ideas. Pick one idea and give it a chance to mature before you ditch it for something else.

You can tout features and benefits all night long in your advertising and promotion, but your brand needs to be a simple, strong and singular message.

Once you have clearly defined your reason for existence and outlined your special gifts and stuff you love and stuff you hate, the next step is boiling them down to powerful words or phrases that pay. These are by-products of the ?who you are? question. Consider a 10-second elevator pitch, a statement of purpose that is added to all media releases and other business documents and a snappy slogan or one-liner promise. Consistently use these words in your communications and your brand will be sprouting up soon.

A brand is a mental imprint. It starts with a clear picture from within an organization with total buy-in from the troops. Whether you are branding a company, product, service or person, assess your identity, define your goals, decide on your special stuff and what rocks your boat. This is the first step to creating and building a brand.

Creating a significant brand is a five-step process. Knowing Who You Are is step number one. Branding principles are universal and applicable to any size business. This article is the first in a series on building and executing a brand. Brands facilitate decision making. Brands reduce risk and anxiety. Brands give buyers choice. They are part of our fabric, culture and society. Whether you are a B2C or B2B entity and or an individual professional, brands make the difference. They are a competitive advantage in a fierce marketplace. Land your brand and rule!

About the Author

About the author Karen Post, The Branding Diva?, is an author, national speaker and consultant on branding, marketing and communication issues. For nearly 20 years she has provided branding counsel and communication programs for individuals; start-ups; local, regional and national companies; politicians; and nonprofit organizations. For more information contact Karen Post at kp@brandingdiva.com or visit her at www.brandingdiva.com.