Cool! Finally, I can break down branding with a popular example that works for everyone.
Check this:
Hillary Clinton's win in New Hampshire is a perfect example of branding, or re-branding. If you're the least bit fuzzy about the meaning of branding or the power of branding, all you need do is think about the Senators comeback.
First of all, lets get the definition of "brand" down.
A brand is a label or name of a person or thing.
When I was a kid my mom brought me "offbrand" shoes, all it meant was they didn't have a popular logo.
Sikes is not Nikes.
Adidas has three stripes not four.
And Lacoste has an alligator not a giraffe.
I'm sure you get it.
Branding is just applying your name or company's name to something, that something can be a shoe, a car, a building, a wine, BUT branding can also be an idea or feeling or a market position.
Here's the part you may not know, a brand is NOT what you say you are, a brand is what other's say you are or what you appear to be.
Which leads me back to Senator Clinton.
Hillary Clinton's Old Brand was seen by many to be:
Bill's Wife, Smart, The Establishment, Firm, Emotionless, Angry, Tough, Robotic, Closed Off, Overly Formal
...but after her emotional moment (her action) in New Hampshire, many female voters got a different opinion of Hillary Clinton, The brand.
Hillary Clinton's New Brand in the eyes of many female voters quickly became:
Bill's Wife, Smart, Down-to-Earth, Everyday Woman, Human, Emotionally Connected, Open.
Believe it.
With that one action (replayed about a thousand times) we saw the power of branding on crack.
Think about it.
Regardless to how you feel about Clinton, you can see the pure power of branding.
When I'm helping to brand one of my clients, I'm trying to make their company name (or brand) identifiable with a great selling idea as Hillary rebranded herself from the emotionless, robotic, Senator and former President's wife (not a very good selling position) to the warmer, more likable, down-to-earth, Senator, former President's wife (a much better selling position).
And look what happened.
She won New Hampshire.
Most new business owners don't take advantage of branding power. Look at it this way, re-branding brought Hillary back from 13 points down 24 hours before the vote. What do you think a positive selling brand image can get you if you start right now?
Email me if you need help on branding your small business or solo-operation.
Timothy Crawford is the small business owners advertising agency. For more tips visit his website at:(http://www.timothycrawford.com) For marketing and advertising book reviews go to: http://www.squidoo.com/ADGameBooks For my advertising, marketing and copywriting blog go to: http://www.timothycrawford.com/blog
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