5 Tell-Tale Signs That You're A Bookshelf Brand.

"A Bookshelf Brand" - it sounds like it might be a compliment doesn't it? We might think that our bookshelf is where we keep our important stories and reference resources. I can see how one could think that way, but I'm referring to brands that are inactive for any reason. You might be a bookshelf brand if:

1: You have no idea what your brand values are, let alone understand whether management's values compliment them or not.

2: You've actually gone through a branding process and the report is gathering dust on that bookshelf. You're a planner not a doer.

3: You're not actively marketing yourself whether that is online or off line. You allow your competition to define who you are.

4: You're not controlling your brand image. No consistency in your image is costly and confusing.

5: You have no compelling story to tell. Your brand stands for nothing and just follows the lead of the competition. Lost in a sea of sameness.

The answer - Take those books off the shelf and get your brand happening. Tell a compelling story that will resonate with customers and get them to consider you beyond price. Stop thinking about branding and start doing something about it.

Which One Are You?

Watching a show on television that was featuring businesses who struck gold through Oprah, I was struck by one in particular. The logo on their building was different from the one on their door which was different from the one on their packaging and so on down the line. This is symptomatic of a business allowing sign companies and printers to determine their brand image. From my point of view it is better to have a bad logo and use it consistently across the board than to have several different ways of presenting your name. This type of scenario just instills confusion among your target group.

The saving grace for this company was of course the big O. After Oprah's generous endorsement, this company's cache skyrocketed. Now they are doing it right. The thing is, consistency doesn't cost more money. As a matter of fact it can cost you less because it reduces costly confusion. The featured company didn't have to wait until Oprah put them on the map to get this right. Get it right from the moment you decide to start your business. Once you establish your brand image, guard it aggressively. If you want to be taken seriously and look like a player, then number one on your list of rules should be, to be consistent with your brand image. That goes for colors as much as the actual image.