What makes up a brand?

What makes up a brand?

So if it's not just your name and logo what is it? A brand will be made up of a collection of different perceptions that will have been built up after exposure to every aspect of your business. This can be a myriad of different things:

• Product design and experience
• Packaging
• Sales experience - your sales people or distributors
• Service experience - during the sale and after
• Advertising messages and straplines
• The way you look and sound - imagery, colour, fonts, personality and tone
• Your website, blogs or mentions on social networking sites
• The price, and how you discount
• Your reputation
• The shop, office or factory experience
• Uniform, badges, vans and trucks 
• Your people
• The logo
• Your name

Any one person could be exposed to all or just one of these variables, that when mixed together form the brand in their mind. There are many ways you will be able to influence what the brand means to people, so you can steer its direction.

Left untouched and uncared for, without clear direction, your brand will take a course that will lead to fewer and fewer customers. So have a think about the list above – and see what sort of brand you’re presenting across the board.  Is it all working to a common direction and goal?  Is it the direction you want it to take?  If not, you may just need to get clarity and some help setting the direction.  It doesn’t take long and will be well worth the effort.

John Hayward of Brand Glue

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