1. “BIRTHING” OF A BUSINESS BRAND

2. ELEMENTS OF CREATING AND GROWING A BRAND.

3. RAISE YOUR BRAND! BUILDING A BUSINESS BRAND.
Building a brand is like raising a child. When your baby arrives, you help shape his or her identity and relationships with the community at large. Accordingly, there are several important factors in “birthing” and raising a strong brand.
“Authentic brands don’t emerge from marketing cubicles or advertising agencies. They emanate from everything the company does…”
–Howard Schultz

4. NAME THE BRAND What’s In A Name?
As with naming your child, selecting a name for your business will shape its identity and personality. It should be one that assists the public in easily identifying what it is. The name is critical and will define the brand. It should be user-friendly. It should be distinct and unique, while clearly defining what the business will be.

5. OBTAIN THE “BIRTH CERTIFICATE”
You Need To Be “Legit And Verified”.
When your baby is born, you get a birth certificate registered and a social security number. Similarly, you also have to get a trademark registered for your brand’s name. At a minimum, you need to visit the USPTO’s website to ensure that the name is not already in use. Otherwise, you could spend your resources building the brand’s name only to receive a “cease and desist” letter from the true owner.

6. DRESSING YOUR BRAND Your “Baby’s Clothes” Reflect Its Personality.
‘Dressing’ The Brand. Now here’s the fun part: choosing the details that make up the physical appearance of the business. This includes everything from your logo and website to your business cards and marketing materials. Your brand’s first impression is incredibly important. New entrepreneurs: invest in a great graphic designer and web developer from the beginning. As they say: ‘first impressions are lasting ones.’ A strong logo and branding package should last about 10 years. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.

7. SERVICES ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF YOUR BRAND.
“What You Do Reflects Who You Are.”
Your services or products are the essence of your business. Even if you have a great name and a snazzy website, you will be DOA if you don’t have a strong product or service to back it up. It’s critical to offer something of quality that people actually need and will want to purchase from you. But, you also have to remember that people talk. Referrals can make or break your business, so you must build strong relationships with your clients so that they will help you grow.

8. DISCIPLINE AND SET BOUNDARIES.
Be Consistent.
My mother said that the hardest part of raising a child was repeating herself all the time. She was consistent and she drilled rules into my head and disciplined me accordingly when I didn’t follow them. The same holds true for your brand.
“The hardest part of raising children, by far, was repeating myself over and over and over again.”
--Barbara Cober (My Mom)

9. OFF TO SCHOOL! Charm School.
Put your Kid in school—Media Training. TV Radio and Print. Social Media (FB, LinkedIn, Periscope, Twitter)
Research the producers and bookers.
Be relevant.
Watch a few shows. What are they talking about? Tips, holidays, current event, seasons, things to do,
Tie your business to the topics.
Create relevant relationships and come prepared.
“The hardest part of raising children, by far, was repeating myself over and over and over again.”
--Barbara Cober (My Mom)

10. Nicole Cober, Esq.
@niccober