Protecting Your Brand

Summary

A brand is a name, symbol or design feature that allows people to identify your company and/or products. Effective branding promotes loyalty to your business and your products and services.
A strong br and helps to create an image of a large, reliable company with high quality products or services.
A well-known brand can make it easier to launch new products, although you need to be careful of being seen as a ‘one product’ or ‘one range’ company. Creating a strong brand is expensive, and takes a long time to reach full effectiveness. When creating a brand, you must be careful not to lose the image of personal service. This is one of the biggest advantages small businesses have, and any branding must show the correct image that you want your customers to see. The key to a strong brand is an effective name and logo that are easily remembered and suit your style of business. A professional image across your products and media (adverts, store fronts, stationary) helps to increase the effectiveness of your brand. All brands need exposure to their target audience. Whether you do this through paid adverts, PR, or through word of mouth promotions; it is crucial to making your brand recognised. All brands should be properly trademarked; this makes sure that no one else can use your branding for their gain.
All businesses are different, and you should always seek knowledgeable advice before altering or promoting your businesses in such a significant (and often expensive!) way.

Relevant Articles

• Marketing a Small Business
• Designing a Business Logo
• Patents & Trademarks – Trademark
• Writing a Press Release

Article Index

1. What is Branding?
2. What are the Disadvantages of Branding?
3. How do You Get Branding?
4. Protecting Your Brand