Keep Building Your Brand, No Matter What

It’s tempting, in a yo-yo economic climate, to slash costs and investment across the board. But don’t! Instead, get selective, get lean. Discretionary spending is negotiable. Brand building, innovation and product development are not.
That’s what business advisor and speaker Ram Charan says in his Fortune magazine article “Managing Your Business in a Downturn.” Charan tells us that we must “keep building” even during financial downturns
“When the top line looks shaky and the bottom line worse, the temptation is to go after discretionary spending. Fine—but do not consider product development, innovation and brand building optional. Sacrificing your future for a slightly more comfortable present is not worth it. If you keep building, you can come back strong,” he explains.
Invest in innovation. Charan’s article appeared four years ago. So, what has changed? Not that much, really. The economy is still suspect. The market continues its ups and downs, only now we have the added concerns over the situation in Greece and an Iran that threatens to become a nuclear power.
Recently, I spoke with a friend that recently returned from an amazing trip to Chile and Easter Island. (People are finally discovering this remarkable sliver of a country.) Innovation can be found everywhere. he brought me back a copy of I Love Chile News, which had a special feature entitled “Innovators of 2012.” The issue featured the myriad ways that innovators are transforming that country.
Even in the worst of times, innovation is possible. In fact, it’s often the pressure of hard times that forces people to find new ways of doing things. Don’t let your present situation obscure your view of the future. Keep preparing for it—it’s right around the corner.

Create a 'branding one sheet' to acquire more referrals

A one page brand overview is an incredibly helpful marketing piece that will guide those who could refer you to effectively describe what you do. And, it will help those within your firm describe the company consistently and concisely as well. Include these five sections in your "branding one sheet":

1. What makes us different? Describe what you do that is truly unique (it may just be you and your team that truly make you stand out).
2. One sentence description or tagline. We're in business to... (a simple sentence that your referrer will remember).
3. Our ideal client. "Our best clients are those who..."
4. Our key areas of expertise. Describe these as needs that your ideal clients have.
5. Our firm in depth. To find out more about our company, our services, and our people, check out our website at ... (list your web address and other social media sites).

Creating a branding one sheet can be done quickly and easily. It is not meant to be a brochure or something with lots of words and detailed design. Just a simple, to the point, easily digestible, and memorable one-page marketing piece. We have seen this become the main printed collateral of some firms to direct people to their online presence and acquire more referrals. And I think we all could use a few more referrals these days!

Check out www.health31.com for more tips