Pastor Welcome Thamsanqa Mlungisi Dlalisa
Last time we defined the concept of branding. We said branding is a way of defining your business to yourself, your team and your external audiences. It starts internally and is ultimately conveyed to external clients and the rest of your stakeholders. Ultimately what your clients think (i.e. their perception of you and your business) has a major impact on your sales and profitability. This effectively means if you protect your brand, you protect your business. In other words, as an entrepreneur you must strive to build and maintain a positive image of your company. As an entrepreneur, you must understand that you are part of the branding also (personal branding). For example, if you are positioning your company to a professional audience, you cannot afford not to look like a professional yourself. Personal branding is the starting point to your business branding and the two must build an integrated message by talking to each other. Below I describe how to build your company brand and the process to follow.
Here are my recommendations for building a strong brand for your business:
1. Determine what you want to offer
It all starts here by answering the question, “What is it that I want to offer”? This will be either a product or a service. If it is product or service then, what kind and for whom (target market)? At this stage you become clear in your mind about “what” you want to do. This stage is the basic foundation for building your brand.
2. Create brand logo and tagline
You then need to create the business logo, which is aligned to what you offer. This alignment is critical to ensure your messaging is integrated. In other words if you are running a catering business, the logo must convey that message (i.e. catering / food outlet) and cannot look the same as the logo of a bank or other type of business. In addition, you need to determine the tagline (your customer promise). This is the small write-up that is often just below the logo itself. I used to drive a Toyota car and, on it, it had the words, “Everything keeps going right”. Indeed, car breakdown was something that I often heard others talk about. I hardly experienced it myself with my Toyota.
3. Determine your values
Once you know what you offer to your clients, the logo and tagline, then you must come up with your company values. This helps to shape and guide all your actions. It tells everyone how things are done. Your values are part of branding. Determining the company values is key to branding.
4. Determine your vision and mission statement
The next step is to determine your vision and mission. The vision is about the desired future state of affairs. Where is your business going?What is the end in your mind? It will help you and your clients to see where your business is going. The mission states how you will get there. These two combined (vision and mission) are critical elements for your brand.
5. Integrate your brand into everything you do
Your brand should be visible and reflected in everything that your customer sees (and doesn’t see). If a client walks into your office, your brand should be on display both in the environment and during personal interactions. Anything tangible – from business cards, to advertisements, to packaging – needs the stamp of your logo. When you design your website, incorporate your voice, message, and personality into the content. Profile pages for social media networks should be branded visually, and with your chosen voice for engagement.
Branding is therefore very crucial in maintaining your clients, attracting new clients and driving business profitability.
In order to help the entrepreneurs of Tembisa to implement what we are learning via these articles, I have set up what I call the JOSEPH ACHIEVERS MENTORING (JAM) programme. The programme is based on Joseph in the Bible, who rose to prominence despite his background. I am encouraging all Tembisa residents to join it. This programme is aimed at supporting all the residents of Tembisa but it targets mainly young entrepreneurs, young professionals, university students and high school learners. It offers a range of support initiatives including career guidance, training and mentoring. Many have enrolled for the programme and receive business management training and mentoring. I challenge you to enroll for JAM in order to propel your life or your business to new heights. To register for JAM, send an email to dlalisa.rhi@gmail.com or call the number below.
For more information, contact Pastor WTM Dlalisa on 083 395 1165.
https://tembisan.co.za/54889/entrepreneurs-brew-qualities-of-an-entrepreneur/
