Social media tools have made brand building more affordable than ever. And during recessionary times, it’s been argued that the small business owner really can’t afford not to continuously work their brand. But do you really get what branding is and how it can improve your bottom line?
I admit, I struggled to define this one in 25 words or less which really bugs me given I’m supposed to be a marketing guru to the WAHM set and a writer to boot. So I’ll start with the dictionary definition of “brand” and go from there. According to Merriam Webster,
Main Entry:
Pronunciation: ˈbrand
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, torch, sword, from Old English; akin to Old English bærnan to burn
Date: before 12th century1 a: a charred piece of wood b: firebrand 1 c: something (as lightning) that resembles a firebrand
2: sword
3 a (1): a mark made by burning with a hot iron to attest manufacture or quality or to designate ownership (2): a printed mark made for similar purposes : trademark b (1): a mark put on criminals with a hot iron (2): a mark of disgrace : stigma
4 a: a class of goods identified by name as the product of a single firm or manufacturer : make b: a characteristic or distinctive kind c: brand name
5: a tool used to produce a brand
Let’s look more closely at definition 3a(1):
mark made by burning with a hot iron to attest manufacture or quality or to designate ownership.
That’s food for marketing thought, now, isn’t it? And perhaps we now understanding the real origin of the term in its current marketing contexts.
In creating a brand for your WAHM business then, you give people enduring mental imagery by which to remember you. However, a successful brand attaches strong feelings to that mental imagery, feelings that connect your audience to both value and values. This is a potent combination because people are visually stimulated but motivated by emotion when making a decision to buy.
So while you’re not hot ironing your logo to their forehead (although that would be cool if you could), you’re aim with branding is to imprint a well defined message onto your audience’s psyche every time they experience a “touch point” with your company. This imprint must be replicable and consistent. If not, trust deteriorates rapidly.
If you have a successfully branded your company, every time your audience hears your name (or your company’s name), every time they visit your website or receive a piece of communication from you (on twitter, in an email, etc), they recall your brand and the value it represents.
A good brand engages the senses and provokes the mind. It surprises the broca and makes people take pause in their busy day. More than this though, a good brand compels an audience to return for additional engagement.
Because they can’t get enough. They can’t erase the mark you left on them. Nor do they want to. The hot iron maybe even hurt a little when it touched their skin, but in a good way. In a way that lit up their deepest desire for something.
If that doesn’t convince you to reconsider the importance of branding, then nothing will. Go forth confidently with a strong brand and others will follow just as confidently. Make your mark. Stick the hot iron to them and see what happens.
About this Alpha WAHM Blogger: Karri is the Alpha WAHM who owns this joint. She also happened to write the book. 
