The 'B' word! The biggest, greatest and even the worst word you can hear. It is often misused, misrepresented and mis-sold. This is very confusing for those tasked with building a brand for their business. The original meaning is more commonly used and relates more to the evolution of retail marketing practices. This concept covers all the basics like naming, designing and image and the marketing/advertising of the product. He who shouted loudest (or told the biggest porkies) won. Life and marketing was easier. By the 90's however, brand had started to evolve. Brand today is subtle, nuanced and much more powerful. Today it is not so much about product or marketing it is more about people. Brand is loyalty, brand is personality, brand is experience and brand is love. Without loyalty you have little or no brand; it's as simple as that.

So where does this leave businesses that want to build a brand? By all means pay great attention to the names, images and messages used to represent your business. Be mindful of consistency in all your communications, but remember that building a brand is so much more than this. Brand is memory, a story, an experience/association (good or bad), a reflection and a reminder. What it is not is a logo on a box, or a sign above a doorway. It's about relationships, it's about your customers, it's about your staff, it's about your suppliers, it's about your entire business community.

Brand takes time and cannot be invented at a board room table or in front of a Mac. You need a long-term strategic view, careful and intelligent planning, great people,

dedication and consistency across all aspects of your business. With such an abundance of choice today it is more about service and experience than ever before.

Consider how you engage and motivate your people, and reflect on your customer service policies. Why? Because it is your people that develop the customer relationships and deliver the after care, around your products or service, that ultimately leads to loyalty. Brand is a reality, not smoke and mirrors. Real brand starts from within.