Wikipedia defines a brand as “a name used to identify and distinguish a specific product, service or business” but it is much more. It is everything that is your business (logo, website, printed materials, customer service, etc).

A brand is the first impression of your business to potential customers and competition. It is the vision of your business mission and goals. It is the thing that will get you noticed and it is extremely important. It is your business’s attitude!

A good brand will:

• deliver your message clearly
• confirm your credibility
• connect your customers emotionally
• concrete customer loyalty

Delivering your message clearly.
You want to make sure your brand will deliver your message clearly. In order to do that, you need to define what you want your message to be. Are you a small boutique shop catering to high end shoppers? Are you a eco-friendly clothing company that caters to earth conscious 30 something shoppers? This is all about defining and delivering…define your customer base and deliver your message.

Confirming your creditability.
Nothing says unprofessional like a poorly designed brand. Just because you may work from home doesn’t mean that you can’t be taken seriously. Having a professional looking brand (which includes package, logo, web site, etc) will confirm your creditability to potential customers. In this economy, people are very wary with what they spend their money on. The more confident they feel in your brand, the more comfortable they will feel buying from you.

Connecting with your customers emotionally.
Have you ever come across a website that hits you emotionally? Most of the time, this is done through photography. It is important to try and connect with your customers on an emotional level. You want them to feel like they just can’t live without your product and must have it.

Concrete customer loyalty.
A brand not only encompasses the graphic elements of your business but also customer service and anything else having to do with the “overall experience”. Make sure that you are treating your customers the best that you can and they will be back over and over again. They may also tell their friends!