Branding with Intention or by default? …Four questions to ask your brand manager

One of the most important items every company must address is its brand.

Some of the questions that come up when I meet with future clients include:

What do we want to be known for…what problems do we solve for our customers?

Who are we today, and where do we want to be tomorrow in relation to the needs of the market?

What does your brand represent to your market?

What is the promise of our brand? 

Those questions get the conversation moving, but to talk about branding alone is not enough. Companies must brand with intention. Branding with intention means consciously deciding who you are, what you represent in the space you choose to play in, and most importantly clearly defining your value proposition. How do you want others (potential buyers and the communities they interact with) to know you? When I wrote my book Branding Backwards my goal was to help the business owner understand this concept of branding with intention or by default.

The market will determine your brand, and basically brand you by default if you do not intentionally brand your business.

You must clearly state the problems you solve better than anyone else and reinforce them in everything you do.

Ask your market what they feel your brand represents.

Do you find your brand promise is clearly stated in the voice of your customers or fuzzy and unclear?

When you ask clients and prospects what they feel your brand represents do you find their answers are consistent with your intention?

How much thought do you give to the promise of your brand?