As an Internet marketer, your goal should be to sustain long-term growth and that means to have an online business that displays a well-known brand. In the ever changing world we live in, it is extremely important that we plan for what we think is going to happen in the next five or 10 years. The changes in technology have pretty much required that type of vision.
One of the newest buzzwords pertaining to our businesses is the term "brand". How well we brand ourselves and how effectively we do it will most likely determine the lifespan of our online business. From this point on we should think in terms of getting not only our name, but also our mission and slogan into as many minds as possible. This is what will determine how successful we are in the long term. All this brings us to one question. How effective is their brand and how well is it working?
Let us look at some characteristics of branding that has been extremely successful in our society. The first trait of a good brand is that it is very focused. We've all heard the term "less is more" and it certainly applies to branding. A simple concept is always best. If we can define our goals along with our mission and one brief comment, then we have completed half the work.
Another trait of a good brand may be one that is limited to a precious few, but if you are a trendsetter then you may be one of those few. What we are talking about our brands that have actually come to define an entire category. We are talking about brands such as Kleenex and Vaseline. These are so entrenched that we hardly ever use the terms tissue and petroleum jelly. To have this concept as part of your branding strategy would mean that you are creating a new product or service.
A durable brand also has a unique selling proposition. In fact, this is often times what actually defines the product or service. If you brainstorm and look hard enough, this is the most effective strategy you can employ. Your unique selling proposition should be front and foremost in your mission statement and sprinkled through all of your marketing campaigns. In short, this is what you offer customers that your competitors do not. Your goal should be to make this part of your branding strategy.
