Branding 102 Checklist

At least once a year, every business owner needs to take a step back and go through what marketing strategist Gary Hennerberg calls a “repositioning checklist” on their brand.  I call this the Branding 102 Checklist.

The start of a new year is a great time to do this. With 2016 numbers in place, you know if you did well or if sales were off. If sales were down, maybe it’s time to teak or even rethink your brand, your story and your unique selling proposition.

This Branding 102 Checklist is a combination of mine & Gary’s lists.

Brand Name:

Is it easy to pronounce and remember? Does it sound current with the times?

Brand Equity:

Brand equity, by definition, is the real value of a brand name for an organization’s products or services. Establishing brand equity is essential because brands are known to be strong influencers of critical business outcomes. Does your brand convey value? How long has your brand been around?

Tagline:

Do you have two or three words that pay off your brand name? If you don’t have a tagline, you should create one. Sometimes, just refreshing your tagline will be enough to breathe new life into your brand.

Logo:

Is it modern? Are you using colors that bring out the desired emotion of your customer?  By the way, there are many studies about the psychology of color. Yellow is the brightest color exuding excitement and happiness; blue conveys loyalty, dependability and trust. You can read more about color and why people respond to different colors HERE.

One Word:

What is the one word that describes the essence of your product or brand? It’s hard to distill everything you do into just one word, but doing this exercise with your staff can be a great team builder and give you great feedback.

Brand Emotion:

Does your brand reflect what you are known for, or would like to be known for? Great brands aim for customers’ hearts. Responding to an emotional need is key to building customer loyalty.

Unique Selling Proposition:

What makes you different – better – than your competition? Is it product, service, knowledge, years in business?

Your Story:

Stories differentiate you from your competitors in today’s culture now more than ever.  Think about how you can take your Unique Selling Proposition and turn it into your story. This is where you start to consider how you want to create your branded content. Your goal is to entertain and engage your audience, make them familiar with your brand, and keep them connected so they eventually become customers.

Core Message:

Your story — your position — should weave throughout your messaging. What are the two or three words (or a brief concept) that you can continually use to bring your customer back to your Unique Selling Proposition /your story / the content you provide to create connections.

Positioning Alignment:

Is your positioning aligned with the personality — the persona — of your customer? A persona goes beyond demographic and behavior information. It gets to the intuition and core thinking of the fears, hopes, dreams, and values of an individual.