
In the Old West, cowboys would sear a symbol of ownership onto their livestock as a way to deter thieves. Marking cattle with these symbols became so popular, the symbols had to be written down and cataloguedas a way to ascertain ownership. Thus, a “brand” became a unique and personal identity, much more than a mere name or symbol. However, like a herd of cattle, a brand can be a difficult thing to control. It takes the best of cowboys to wrangle it in.
Start with why
When attempting to brand your business, you’ll need to ask yourself several questions that pinpoint the essence of your organization:
- Why does your business exist?
- Why should consumers be interested?
- Why do you believe your service is any different from the competition?
- Do you have a mission statement?
- What do you stand for?
While you’re going over the big picture, don’t forget to ask more concrete questions as well:
- What are your goals?
- Do you need to sell 300 units or 300,000?
- Are you looking for a broad base of support or a devoted coalition of fans?
- What type of customers are you trying to attract?
The message
With the core tenets of your company in hand, you need to figure out what message you’d like to send to your audience. Having a strong voice is crucial to a strong brand. Consumers turn to companies not only for goods and services, but also for a specific point of view. Imagine if The New York Times started cracking jokes or Ronald McDonald started cursing–it wouldn’t fit, right? Think about what you want to convey to your audience, what you don’t want to convey, and what best fits your business.
It’s important to not only research your own audience, but to also research your competitors’. Actively observing the strategies of those in the same field as you can be helpful in a number of ways. It allows you to avoid the mistakes they’ve made, and it keeps you from using ideas they’ve already used. Best of all, it helps you set yourself apart by establishing a tone that is unique to your business. Always be up-to-date with your competitors’ content–you can bet your audience will be. Stay informed and think of yourself as a consumer. What can you promise that other businesses can’t? How can you connect to your consumers in a different way?
The bigger pieces

The look and feel
Well, wouldn’t you know it, Brandon was so successful at the market that he decided to expand his business into all manner of farm animals. Soon, he was developing Brandon’s Sheep, Brandon’s Goats, Brandon’s Bunnies and Brandon’s Chickens (they laid chocolate eggs, of course). Soon he had a ranch full of animals for sale and people came from far and wide to purchase them. Having learned a lesson from his previous branding failures, Brandon made sure that each new sector of his business was consistent and uniform. If Brandon’s Bunnies were grumpy and hostile, they would not be in keeping with the Brandon brand. If Brandon’s Goats had more of a sci-fi aesthetic, that would be confusing to the consumers that love Brandon’s modern twist on tradition (and to most everyone else too).
A time for action
As our cowboy Brandon gallops off into the sunset with his head held high, here are a few questions that you can ask yourself to help define your own brand personality. Yeehaw.
- What does your company do? Why does it do it?
- Who are you trying to attract as consumers?
- What promises are you making to consumers?
- If your company was an animal, what would it be?
- If your company was a car, what kind of car would it be?
- If your company was a person, what kind of person
