Branding, to me, is a company’s conscious operational effort to build an image and message to portray to the public (current customers, potential customers, competitors, etc.) that will elicit a certain feeling or attitude that parallels that of the company with which will be memorable and position itself in a certain way.

Now the question becomes, "How do we do this as effectively and efficiently as possible?"

80/20 Rule

Like many theories in business, branding has an 80/20 rule.

20% of branding is the idea and message that you and your company want to portray. This message is the image that you want to build in the stakeholders mind when they think of your product or service. Finding your message could be a strenuous activity but I have developed three easy steps to help you find your message. 

● Look at your current culture. What about it differentiates you from your competition?

● Understand where you currently fit in the marketplace.

● Where do you want to be in the mind of the consumers? 

Completing these steps will allow you to develop a message that will, not only, portray your company, but also, position yourself properly in the mind of the consumer. It’s that easy. Well at least 20% of branding is that easy. Now that you have the message, you must put it to work. But what is the other 80%?

I’ll let you in on a little secret…80% of branding is operational! This means the main concept to understand about branding is that your company’s day-to-day operations elicits 80% of what the customer remembers and uses to position your company. Sure the customer sees the great little marketing pieces or reads the clever slogans written to suede them to use your product, but that just begins the selling process. Your people need to build the message off this intrigued consumer mind. But in order to not confuse the customer and lead them astray, your people have to understand the brand concept and what needs to be done to continue this image created by the message.

Tips to Build Effective Operational Branding: 

● It takes 21 days to change a habit. Build a program that ingrains the brand concept in your employees to ensure understanding and effectiveness.

● Be sure that your company is saying the same thing. Don’t confuse the customer. This will spawn from building the habit. If everyone is on the same page of understanding the message will be congruent.

● Allow the operations and customer service to portray the same message as your brand idea. This will increase brand effectiveness and loyalty. Any time an employee makes contact with the customer, the branding message needs to be communicated.

● To ensure effectiveness, Scream louder than your competitors! If you are allowing your people to be in front of the customer more, you will win.

1. Lead in- This entails the message or idea you came up with using the three step process described above. (Start with marketing materials to lead in a meeting with your customer).

2. Operations- Your day-to-day operations need to portray a congruent message with stage 1. (This has everything to do with what your people touch).

3. Follow up- Keep the message going. (With the operations of your company still lingering in the customer’s mind, send more marketing materials or a follow-up "Thank You" call to keep that good feeling going).

All-in-All you need to Scream One Voice Louder Than Your Competition’s Many Voices.

Paul Miser is the President of Miser Advertising and Marketing, a small business marketing company in Carlsbad, CA.  He can be contacted by emailing pmiser@miserad.com.