A brand is a promise. Have a believable one.

A brand is a promise between an organization and a consumer that a product or service will perform exactly the way consumers expect it will.

Branding on the other hand refers to the expressions of the brand that consumers associate with the promise. Branding is how the brand’s promise is conveyed.

It’s a common misconception that if an organization spends lots of time and money making consumers aware of a product or service they’ll “buy” it. Sort of like “advertise it and they will come.” Successful companies know Why this is a misconception. They know that to succeed, a brand has to stand for something that is different from its competitors and that this difference must be relevant to consumers.

You need differentiation and relevance.

Consumers are in control. They get their branding where they want it and only if they want it. They want a web experience that is about them, not you.

People use technology to make things they already do easier and more convenient. Find a relevantly different way to make life more convenient for consumers and they’ll seek you out.

Determine the meaningful difference you want your brand to represent in the minds of consumers, staff, other influencers before you start shouting about it.

Play the branding game. Be channel neutral. Develop the key brand message and let the idea drive the branding strategy.

Customer loyalty has fallen in large part because too many organizations don’t want long-term relationships with their customers. Coddle your consumers with strong emotional brand promises and then back them up.