Branding is the process that aligns the opinions people hold about your brand with the set of thoughts you want them believe and trust. As you develop your brand, follow these steps, in this order:
Determine what you’re branding and whether your brand will be your one and only or one of several brands in your organization.
Research everything there is to know about your product and the market in which it will compete.
Position your brand by defining what makes it unique and how it will slot into an available space in the market and in your customers’ minds.
Define your brand by stating what it stands for, what unique benefit it provides, what value it promises to deliver, and the image that will permeate everything from your marketing communications to your product design, business character, and consumer experience.
Develop your brand identity, including your brand name, logo, tagline, and other brand signature elements.
Launch your brand, internally first and then by announcing it via publicity, social-media advertising, promotions, and presentations.
Manage your brand by understanding and leveraging your brand’s value, by protecting your brand through usage rules and legal rights, and by delivering an unfailingly consistent and positive brand experience that creates allegiance among those who represent, choose, and remain loyal to your brand.
Monitor, evaluate, and update your brand to keep it relevant and credible in light of changes to your business, your customers, or your marketplace.