Branding: the basics

Introduction

The terms 'brand' and 'branding' can be integral to a business' success - but what exactly do they mean? Does your business have a brand, and does it need one?

Branding gets right to the core of your business' values. It is about discovering and communicating the essence of your business and what it delivers to your customers. In effect, your brand creates your business' reputation and its 'personality'. A strong brand can make your business stand out from the crowd, particularly in competitive markets.

This guide explains what branding is, how it works and how you can use it to help improve your business. It shows you how to create a brand, how to budget for it and the different techniques of managing a brand. You will also find out what the key elements of branding are, how branding applies to different business sectors and the impact design can have on branding.

Subjects covered in this guide

• Introduction
• What is branding?
• Why does your business need branding?
• Branding - the key ingredients
• Brand management techniques
• Branding for different sectors
• Your brand and your customers
• Your brand and your staff
• Budgeting for a brand
• Here's how I created a brand for my business (Flash video)

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